[00:00:04]
>> I HEREBY CALL THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING TO ORDER OF THE CITY OF PARKER.
[CALL TO ORDER ]
IT IS JULY 2ND, 2024, AND 6:00 PM.AT THIS TIME, I WILL ASK MR. OLSON, DO WE HAVE A QUORUM?
>> YES, MADAM MAYOR, YOU DO[LAUGHTER].
>> [LAUGHTER]GOT ME AT THE WRONG TIME?
>> WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRY AGAIN?
>> THEN AT THIS TIME, WE WILL GO TO OUR WORKSHOP.
[WORKSHOP]
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A WORKSHOP FROM 6:00-7:00 UNLESS WE FINISH A LITTLE EARLIER.THIS IS TO FINISH OUR DISCUSSION ON WHETHER WE WANT TO GO WITH AN IN HOUSE ATTORNEY OR WHETHER WE WANT TO GO WITH A RETAINED FIRM.
I BELIEVE THAT EVERYBODY HAS BEEN PROVIDED WITH SOME DOCUMENTS.
DOES ANYBODY WANT TO START US OFF?
>> I JUST WANT TO GO THROUGH GRANT BEFORE HE LEFT ON VACATION.
HE DID THIS LITTLE QUICK ANALYSIS FOR US, BASED ON THE BROWN HOFMEISTER AND NICHOLS JACKSON.
WAS IT NICHOLS JACKSON SOMETHING? I FORGET THE FULL NAME OF THE FIRM.
HE DID IN HOUSE AND THEN WHAT IT WOULD COST.
IN HOUSE TOTAL WITH SALARY AND BENEFITS WAS $203,559.50.
BROWN HOFMEISTER, THE WAY THEY HAD BROKEN DOWN THEIR ORIGINAL SUBMITTAL TO US WAS YOU GET TWO MEETINGS PER MONTH, WHETHER IT'S A P&Z COUNCIL MEETING OR TWO COUNCIL MEETINGS, OR TWO P&Z MEETINGS, HOWEVER THAT IT WAS.
IT WAS $9,600, SO YOU DIVIDE THAT BY 12 MONTHS ON THAT.
THEN YOU'RE ALSO PAYING AN HOURLY RATE WHILE THEY'RE AT THE MEETING TOO.
THAT'S DRIVE TIME AND EVERYTHING ELSE TOO, YOU'D BE PAYING THE HOURLY RATE.
THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF HOURS A WEEK THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO WORK TO GET THAT 203,559 IS 18.65.
THEN YOU DROP DOWN TO NICHOLS JACKSON.
THEIR HOURLY RATE WAS 195, INCLUDING COUNCIL MEETINGS, WAS 104,389.
THEIR AVERAGE WEEKLY HOURS, THAT WOULD BE 20 HOURS 0.07 TO EQUAL TO 203 WHEN HE DID A BREAKOUT ON THAT.
THAT WAS REALLY THE ONLY WAY WE COULD BREAK IT OUT WITH THOSE TWO COMPANIES THAT WE FOUND.
>> YOU TOOK THE 203,599 AND DIVIDED IT BY THE RATE, SEE HOW MANY HOURS WE COULD GET FOR THAT RATE?
>> YES. THAT'S WHAT WE DID. JUST SO WE COULD AT LEAST COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES AS FAR AS HOURS THEY WOULD HAVE TO WORK.
>> WELL, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE THOUGH IS, I GUESS, THE IN HOUSE, YOU WOULD HAVE A LARGER NUMBER OF HOURS?
>> BECAUSE 18 HOURS A WEEK, IT WOULD BE AT LEAST 40, I WOULD THINK.
>> AT LEAST 40 IS WHAT YOU WOULD DO, SO YES.
>> THEN ONE OTHER QUESTION WHILE I HAVE THE MIC, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T RAISE MY HAND BEFORE THAT, SORRY, MADAM MAYOR.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS THAT WHAT IS THE ASSUMPTION ON THE ACTUAL COVERAGE? IS IT THAT THEY WOULD ONLY DO JUST THE COUNSEL ACTIVITIES? THERE WOULDN'T BE ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THAT COUNCIL ACTIVITIES, IN OTHER WORDS, IN THIS RATE HERE?
>> WE JUST PUT IF THERE WAS TWO MEETINGS A MONTH, THEY WOULD BE ATTENDING BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY DID HERE AS FAR AS BROWN HOFMEISTER, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT HE FIGURED OUT HERE AND NICHOLS JACKSON.
>> THAT WOULDN'T INCLUDE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAD A QUESTION AND YOU CALLED THEM, THEY'RE GOING TO CHARGE YOU FOR THAT.
IF THEY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING IN WRITING, THEY'RE GOING TO CHARGE YOU FOR THAT.
ALL THE OTHER THINGS GOING OVER THE AGENDA TO MAKE SURE IT'S WORDED CORRECTLY.
ALL THOSE THINGS, THAT WOULD BE AN EXTRA COST, AND IT DEPENDS ON THE PARTICULAR LAW FIRM AND HOW THEY DO THEIR STRUCTURE.
SOME CHARGE BY THE QUARTER HOUR, SOME CHARGE HALF AN HOUR.
>> I THINK IT WAS MOST OF THEM CHARGE LIKE 10 MINUTES OR A QUARTER HOUR, SO 15.
>> MY LAST, I GUESS, CLARIFIER JUST FOR EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO HEAR IS THAT THE IDEA HERE IS THAT THIS WOULD BE ONLY CITY COUNCIL DIRECT, I'LL CALL IT STANDARD MEETING PROTOCOL WOULD BE COVERED.
IF THERE'S ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, IT WOULD BE ANYTHING TO DO WITH CIP, OR IF IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE ETJ STUFF AND ALL THAT THINGS, THAT WOULD ALL BE SEPARATE, CORRECT?
>> THAT WOULD BE UP TO COUNCIL, IF YOU WANTED TO RETAIN AN OUTSIDE FIRM TO HANDLE THOSE, THE COUNCIL'S PREROGATIVE ON THAT.
[00:05:02]
>> THE ONLY REASON I BROUGHT THAT UP IS THAT I THINK WHEN WE HAD THE ORIGINAL DISCUSSIONS, THERE WERE SOME THINGS BROUGHT UP THAT IF YOU DID HAVE A CLEARING HOUSE WITH A EXTERNAL OR A FIRM THAT YOU WERE WORKING WITH, THAT THEY MAY HAVE THAT IN THEIR WHEELHOUSE, IF YOU WILL, BUT THAT'S NOT INCLUDED IN THESE CALCULATIONS.
>> CORRECT. NO. WE LOOKED AT THEIR HOURLY RATE FOR A PARTNER IS WHAT WE LOOKED AT.
>> I REMEMBER FROM LAST TIME, MAYBE WE TALKED, AND KATHERINE, YOU CAN UPDATE US.
YOU'D INDICATED, I THINK BACK THEN YOU WERE WORKING CURRENTLY ABOUT 20 HOURS A WEEK, IS THAT STILL CORRECT?
>> I'M SORRY, I SHOULD HAVE LOOKED AT MY TIME BEFORE I CAME OVER, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE HAS BEEN A WEEK THAT I WORKED MORE THAN 20 HOURS FOR THE CITY OF PARKER.
>> THEN AS WE GET DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE RECORD REQUEST, ETC.
HOW INVOLVED OR HOW MUCH OF TIME DOES IT TAKE FROM YOU TO DO THAT?
>> IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHAT IT IS.
EVERYTHING'S VERY FACT SPECIFIC.
SOME OF THOSE ARE JUST HANDLED BY CITY STAFF.
IF THERE'S NOT A CONCERN, IF THERE'S NOT A MANDATORY EXCEPTION THAT NEEDS TO BE WRITTEN TO THE AG FOR THAT THING, THEN I MAY NOT EVEN SEE IT.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO AVERAGE THAT.
IT'S VERY MUCH JUST ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, WHAT THE CITY NEEDS.
>> THEN JUST AS A PIECE OF BACKGROUND, OBVIOUSLY, EVERY CITY IS DIFFERENT.
BUT I WENT AHEAD AND LOOKED UP ON TML AND LOOKED FOR BASICALLY GENERAL LAW CITIES TYPE A THAT WERE ABOVE A POPULATION OF 5,000.
WHICH INTERESTING ENOUGH, THERE'S ONLY 26 CITIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT WERE GENERAL LAW TYPE A, ABOVE 5,000 POPULATION.
BUT OF THOSE 26, I LOOKED AND SEE WHAT THEY WERE DOING FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE.
AGAIN, EVERY CITY IS DIFFERENT, BUT JUST FYI, SIX OF THOSE 26 HAD IN HOUSE COUNCIL, TWO ACTUALLY WERE USING MESSER, TWO WERE USING NICHOLS JACKSON, AND THEN 16 OR ALL THE REST OF THEM ACTUALLY WERE USING CONTRACTING LEGAL, BUT THEY WERE BASICALLY LOCAL, I WOULD CALL IT LOCAL PRACTICE, WHETHER IT BE A SMALL FIRM OR LOCAL PRACTITIONER.
>> THANK YOU. KATHERINE I WAS GOING TO ASK ONE OF THE SAME LINES HE DID ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU HAD BEEN WORKING.
WHEN YOU SAID A MINUTE AGO, THERE HASN'T BEEN A WEEK THAT YOU'D DONE 20 HOURS, WERE YOU TALKING ABOUT FROM THE BEGINNING OF WHEN YOU STARTED WORKING FOR THE CITY OF PARKER YEARS AGO OR IN THIS MOST RECENT ONE?
>> IN THIS MOST RECENT ONE, I THINK THAT'S CORRECT.
BECAUSE I CAN LOOK BACK THROUGH IT ON MY COMPUTER AND ADD THINGS UP BY WEEK.
BUT YOUR MEETINGS GIVE YOU THE PATTERN ORDINARILY OF WHEN I'M WORKING BECAUSE LAST WEEK I'M DOING STUFF IN PREPARATION FOR THIS MEETING, AND THEN THE DAY OF THE COUNCIL MEETING, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT BLOCK OF HOURS TYPICALLY IN A MONTH.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE BIG THAT HAPPENS, IF I SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON A PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST, THAT THING, THEN THAT CAN BE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME, BUT OTHERWISE, IT'S MOSTLY MADE UP OF THE MEETINGS AND THE PREPARATION OF THE AGENDA LEADING UP TO THE MEETINGS.
>> HOW MUCH INVOLVEMENT DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE IN THE PREPARATION OF THE AGENDA? IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE OVER TIME, MOST OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD GO ON OUR AGENDA WOULD BE PRETTY ROUTINE.
I UNDERSTAND THERE MIGHT BE AN EXCEPTION IN TERMS OF HOW WE HAVE TO WORD SOMETHING, BUT OF COURSE I'M NEW TO THIS, BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE AN ATTORNEY SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON CRAFTING AN AGENDA FOR US.
>> NOW, IT'S NOT REALLY TYPICALLY THE AGENDA THAT I'M WORKING ON.
IT'S INDIVIDUAL AGENDA ITEMS, AND IT'S USUALLY THAT I'M WORKING ON DRAFTING THE RESOLUTION OR THE ORDINANCE.
THAT'S WHERE MOST OF THE ATTORNEY TIME IS SPENT ON THOSE.
>> I'D LIKE TO JUST HEAR FROM YOU, YOURSELF, LEE, AND LUKE IN REGARDS TO SINCE KATHERINE'S BEEN HERE.
SHE SAID SHE'S SPENDING LESS THAN PROBABLY 20 HOURS A WEEK IS WHAT YOU'RE SEEING VERSUS AMY? YOU, FROM A PARTICULAR WEEK TO WEEK PERSPECTIVE, WHAT DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU'RE MISSING, IF ANYTHING?
I GUESS TO SOME DEGREE WHEN WE'VE HAD OUR OWN ATTORNEY, WE'RE SPOILED.
ONE, OUR OWN ATTORNEY KNOWS PARKER AND KNOWS OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
WE'RE VERY UNIQUE IN OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
A LOT OF ATTORNEYS DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THAT, AND IT CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS. WHEN WE HAD AMY HERE, SHE SET IN THE AGENDA MEETINGS WITH US SO SHE COULD
[00:10:03]
TELL US THE WORDING ON THIS OR YOU'RE GOING TO NEED AN ORDINANCE ON THIS, AND I'LL DRAFT IT, OR HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE BECAUSE IT MAY BE, WELL, I NEED MORE RESEARCH BEFORE I CAN EVEN LET YOU ALL PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA DEPENDING ON WHAT IT WAS.PLUS WITH THE CITY LATELY, I DON'T KNOW WHEN TO SAY IT STARTED.
WE HAVE HAD SO MANY UNUSUAL, DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'VE NEVER HAD TO DEAL WITH BEFORE.
WE'VE HAD THE [INAUDIBLE] FUNDS DEAL.
WE'VE HAD WASTEWATER TREATMENT, NORTH TEXAS, THERE'S JUST BEEN AN OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF STUFF, AND MOST OF IT IS BETTER FOR US WHEN WE HAVE SOMEBODY GIVING US GOOD ADVICE ON HOW TO PROCEED.
WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO DO SOMETHING ILLEGAL OR WRONG THAT WOULD HURT THE CITY.
THE ONE THING ON THE CITY ATTORNEY, I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, THEIR JOB IS TO PROTECT THE CITY.
THEIR JOB IS NOT TO PROTECT COUNCIL.
IT'S NOT TO PROTECT THE MAYOR.
IT IS TO PROTECT THE CITY, AND THAT'S WHO THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE TO.
THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE SUED. GO AHEAD.
>> THIS MAY BE BECAUSE I'M A HIGH CONTEXT PERSON AND NOT TO ANSWER FOR THE MAYOR OR FOR LUKE.
BUT WHAT I NOTICE HERE, VERSUS WHEN I'VE BEEN IN HOUSE AS AN ATTORNEY IS THAT I LACK HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE.
NOW, IF YOU'RE CHANGING OUT YOUR ATTORNEY EVERY YEAR, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BUILD A LOT OF HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE, BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY A VALUE TO THAT.
I THINK THAT'S PART OF WHAT THE MAYOR IS TALKING ABOUT, THAT YOU HAVE MULTIPLE THINGS GOING ON, AND WHEN I STEP BACK IN AND SOMEBODY CALLS ME UP AND ASKS A QUESTION, I DON'T HAVE ALL OF THIS INFORMATION.
I JUST KNOW THIS ONE QUESTION.
I DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT TO ASK BECAUSE AS AN OUTSIDE ATTORNEY, YOU'RE NOT LIVING IN IT.
I CAN SEE PROS AND CONS TO INSIDE ATTORNEYS, OUTSIDE ATTORNEYS ALL DAY LONG.
BUT I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME STUFF THAT'S REALLY INTANGIBLE THAT'S A VALUE TO HAVING INSIDE COUNCIL? I'LL STOP THERE.
>> FROM A STANDPOINT OF, MAYBE I'LL CALL IT ORDINANCE MAINTENANCE.
FROM A FACT, YOU SAID YOU WOULD GO THROUGH THE ORDINANCES AND MAKE THE ORDINANCES ARE CORRECT FOR THE AGENDA, BUT AS FAR AS MAINTENANCE OF THE ORDINANCES OR CLEANUP OF THE ORDINANCES OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL, CAN ANYBODY COMMENT ON THAT AND WHAT THE PRO AND CON WOULD BE, EXTERNAL VERSUS INTERNAL?
>> WITH AN IN HOUSE ATTORNEY, THERE WERE TIMES WHERE WE WERE DOING SOMETHING, AND AMY WOULD SAY, THE LAWS CHANGED, WE NEED TO UPDATE THIS ORDINANCE.
WHERE WE MIGHT NOT HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT LAWYERS.
IT WAS ALSO GOOD FOR US WHEN THERE WAS A CHANGE, WHETHER IT WAS AMY OR TREY BEFORE HER, WOULD COME IN AND SAY, THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE BASED ON A COURT CASE OR BASED ON SOMETHING.
I NEED TO TAKE YOU THROUGH THIS.
WE WOULD GET THAT INFORMATION AND THAT'S IMPORTANT.
>> DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE, KATHERINE?
>> I DID. I [INAUDIBLE] QUESTION, BUT IN TERMS OF HOW WE ACTUALLY DO THE ORDINANCES, WHEN YOU HAVE DIFFERENT ATTORNEYS WORKING ON THEM, THEN YOUR ORDINANCES START TO LOOK REALLY DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER.
BUT TYPICALLY, I'M ALWAYS GOING TO LOOK BACK AT WHAT TREY OR AMY DID BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE IF YOU'RE USING DIFFERENT ATTORNEYS.
>> LEE, I HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT BASICALLY PULLING TOGETHER THE AGENDAS AND RESOLUTIONS, ETC.
AS WELL AS THE UNUSUAL THINGS THAT HAVE HIT THE CITY AS OF LATE. BUT TWO THINGS.
ONE IS THAT KATHERINE ALREADY IS DOING THE AGENDA ORDINANCES ETC.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE MISSING THAT BECAUSE SHE'S ALREADY DOING THAT.
TWO, THE UNUSUAL THINGS THAT HAVE HIT THE CITY, AS OF LATE, WE TYPICALLY HAVE EXTERNAL COUNCIL RUNNING IT.
THE INTERNAL COUNCIL, BASICALLY, IS JUST OVERSEEING IT, WHICH ISN'T A HUGE JOB IN AND OF ITSELF BECAUSE YOU'RE RELYING REALLY ON THE OUTSIDE COUNSEL.
WE'D LIKE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND, BEYOND THOSE TWO THINGS WHAT YOU FEEL THAT YOU'RE MISSING, AND LUKE, I DIDN'T HEAR FROM YOU AS FAR AS WHAT YOU FEEL THAT YOU'RE MISSING.
>> WELL, I THINK THE BIGGEST THING THAT I'VE NOTICED, BECAUSE I'VE HAD OUTSIDE COUNSEL BEFORE, I'VE HAD ONE OF THESE FIRMS BEFORE UP ON THE SCREEN.
[00:15:04]
WITH HAVING IN HOUSE IS, NOT TO KNOCK KATHERINE, SOMETIMES SHE'S WORKING IN OTHER CITIES, AND I CAN'T GET A HOLD OF HER, AND IT MIGHT BE A SIMPLE QUESTION TO MOVE SOMETHING FORWARD REAL QUICK, BUT I HAVE TO WAIT SOMETIMES.BEFORE I COULD GO 20 STEPS DOWN THE HALLWAY TO TREY OR AMY, ASK THE QUESTION AND GET RIGHT BACK TO WHAT I WAS WORKING ON.
NOW SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO WAIT, AND THEN KATHERINE DOES SOME OF THE RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES IN THE EVENING.
WE JUST GOT TO WORK THROUGH THOSE CHALLENGES AT TIMES.
WITH SOMEONE HERE, THEY'RE ABLE TO DO IT WHILE WE'RE ALL HERE, WHILE ALL STAFF IS HERE AND EVERYONE CAN GET THAT SQUARED UP.
>> THERE IS A CHARGE FOR THAT.
>> WE DAILY GET OPEN RECORD REQUEST.
IF WE CAN'T GET IN TOUCH WITH OUR ATTORNEY TO TURN THAT OVER TO HIM, THAT'S A PROBLEM, BECAUSE YOU GOT TEN DAYS, I THINK IT IS, TO RESPOND TO AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST.
SOME OF THEM ARE VERY SIMPLE, SOME OF THEM ARE VERY COMPLICATED.
>> WE'VE ALSO HAD THE ATTORNEY HELP US DEVELOP CONTRACTS, HELP US REVIEW CONTRACTS, AND GO OVER THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW.
THAT'S THAT'S HELPFUL. BOTH AMY, AND TREY, AND KATHERINE HAS ADVISED US OF LEGAL UPDATES WHEN THINGS HAVE CHANGED, SO WE WERE AWARE OF IT BECAUSE THAT MAY CHANGE OUR COURSE.
IF YOU REMEMBER ONE OF OUR LAST MEETINGS, WE HAD SOME LEGAL ADVICE BEFORE WE WENT FORWARD.
THAT WAS HELPFUL, OR AT LEAST I THOUGHT IT WAS.
OUR PREVIOUS COUNSELS HAVE DONE IN-HOUSE TRAINING FOR EVERYBODY ON QUORUMS, ON PROTOCOLS, ON ETHICS, ON RULES AND REGULATIONS.
YOU CAN GO TO TML OR ANOTHER PLACE AND PROBABLY GET IT, BUT IT'S NOT AS SPECIFIC TO PARKER AS IT IS WHEN WE DO IT OURSELVES.
PLUS THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT COME UP EVERY DAY, MAYBE TOMORROW.
COUNCIL MEMBER PILGRIM GOES OUT AND SOMEBODY OFFERS HIM TICKETS TO THE COWBOY GAME, AND THIS, AND THAT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS SO ON THE LINE, HE'S CONFLICTED ABOUT WHAT TO DO, SO HE WANTS TO CALL AN ATTORNEY AND FIND OUT EXACTLY, WHAT CAN I DO? IT'S HELPFUL TO HAVE THAT, NOT JUST FOR US, BUT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES BECAUSE IT COMES UP ALL THE TIME.
OUR IN-HOUSE COUNSEL HAS ALWAYS OVERSEEN, SO TO SPEAK, OUR RETAINED ATTORNEYS, IF WE HAD OTHER ATTORNEYS THAT WERE INVOLVED, MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE DOING WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO, THEY STAYED ON POINT, THEY STAYED UP WITH THE LEGAL DEADLINES, AND MADE SURE WE WERE AWARE OF IT, AND THAT WE GAVE THEM DIRECTION BECAUSE THAT WOULD COME FROM COUNSEL.
THEY ALSO REVIEWED OUTSIDE ATTORNEY'S BILLS, WHICH I FELT WAS HELPFUL BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE SOMETHING THAT'S WRONG WITH AN INVOICE MUCH QUICKER THAN YOU OR I MIGHT, BUT WE FOUND THAT TO BE HELPFUL.
THIS CAME UP THE LAST TIME KATHERINE WAS HERE, ALWAYS CAME UP WITH AMY AND TREY, THEY ADVISED THE POLICE ON ALL THINGS DAILY.
IF THE POLICE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INVESTIGATION AND THEY NEED TO KNOW, CAN I DO THIS? I'M STANDING HERE WITH A GUY AND I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD ARREST HIM OR WHAT I SHOULD DO.
IT'S VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE AN ATTORNEY AVAILABLE TO THAT PERSON OR ON POLICE INVESTIGATION, SAME THING.
THOSE CAN GET YOU IN A LOT OF TROUBLE.
[00:20:03]
WHEN KATHERINE WAS HERE BEFORE, WE HAD A SITUATION COME UP, WHICH SHE TOOK CARE OF DURING THE TIME, AND THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL TIMES WHEN THINGS HAD COME UP WHERE KENNY, CHIEF PRICE HAD TO CONTACT OUR ATTORNEY FOR WHAT'S THE BEST WAY FORWARD.WHAT SHOULD WE DO? PLUS SHE DID UPDATING TRAINING WITH THEM ON LEGAL CHANGES BECAUSE THE LAW IS FLUID, IT CHANGES ALL THE TIME.
EMPLOYMENT QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED BECAUSE WE HIRE, FIRE, DISCIPLINE, DEAL WITH EMPLOYEES ALL YEAR LONG.
THAT INCLUDES WORKMAN'S COMP AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THEY MAKE SURE WE STAY WITHIN THE LAW, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.
WE GET LAWYERS THAT COME UP HERE OR CALL, AND THEY DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH ME OR COUNCIL MEMBER KERCHO, THEY WANT TO DEAL WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY.
WHEN THE CITY ATTORNEY IS HERE, THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE ALLOWED.
THAT'S THE CITY ATTORNEY'S DISCRETION ON WHETHER IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THEM TO DEAL WITH THEM OR NOT, BUT IT DOES HAPPEN.
OR WE HAVE ATTORNEYS WRITE LETTERS, FOR EXAMPLE, CAN MY CLIENT HAVE AN EXEMPTION TO THE WATER MORATORIUM? THOSE THINGS COME UP.
I'M NOT SAYING AN OUTSIDE FIRM COULDN'T DO THAT, OF COURSE, THEY COULD, BUT AT WHAT COST AND HOW LONG?
>> WHEN YOU FINISHED, I THOUGHT YOU WERE [OVERLAPPING]
>> I JUST MADE A LIST OF THINGS THAT I NOTICED THAT WE USED OUR IN-HOUSE FOR SO THAT PEOPLE WOULD HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
>> AS I HAD MENTIONED BEFORE, TALKING WITH AMY ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, AND I WOULD LOVE FOR LEE AND LUKE TO RESPOND AND TELL US YOUR THOUGHTS, SHE FELT LIKE SHE WASN'T ALWAYS DOING LEGAL WORK BECAUSE SHE WAS HERE, THINGS GOT DUMPED IN HER LAP THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SOMEBODY ELSE.
SHE SAID AT OTHER PLACES WHERE SHE'D WORKED AS AN ATTORNEY, SHE WOULDN'T BE DOING THAT.
I HAVE NO IDEA. THAT'S JUST WHAT SHE SHARED WITH ME.
>> THAT'S INTERESTING. WE FOUND IT VERY HELPFUL FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, THE LEGISLATURE CHANGED THE SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS BY LAW.
AMY WENT TO THE MEETINGS WITH GARY AND LUKE TO ALTER OUR SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS TO MAKE SURE THEY COMPLIED WITH THE NEW LAW.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT STUFF IS WHAT SHE'S REFERRING TO.
>> NO, SHE WAS JUST SAYING THAT SHE FELT LIKE SHE WAS DOING NON-LEGAL WORK THAT WAS GETTING DUMPED IN HER LAP BECAUSE SHE WAS AVAILABLE OR THERE.
>> I FIND THAT STRANGE BECAUSE SHE WAS REAL QUICK TO SAY, "NOT MY JOB." [LAUGHTER]
>> I DON'T KNOW OF ANY NON-LEGAL WORK THAT WAS DUMPED ON AMY, OR TREY, OR KATHERINE SO FAR.
>> I APOLOGIZE IF I'M SAYING SOMETHING REAL OBVIOUS, BUT IN THE WAY I LOOK AT THIS, WE HAVE TO WE WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY, OBVIOUSLY, AND I'M NOT MARRIED ONE WAY OR OTHER TO EITHER ONE.
THE ONE THING THAT I DO SEE IS, THIS IS SIMPLISTIC LOOK AT IT, BUT WHAT I'M GATHERING MAYBE VERY SIMPLISTICALLY, AND SOMETIMES I BOIL THINGS DOWN MAYBE TOO SIMPLISTICALLY, BUT I'M SAYING, WE GET 20 HOURS FROM SOMEBODY WHO WOULD BE EXTERNAL, WE GET 40 HOURS FOR SOMEBODY INTERNAL.
YOU GET TWICE AS MUCH WORK OUT OF THE PERSON, AND NOW I'M MAKING A LOT ASSUMPTIONS.
I'M ASSUMING THAT THEY'RE AS EFFICIENT, THEY HAVE THE SAME SKILL SETS, ETC, I WOULD BE VERY QUICK TO TAKE ON THE FACT THAT, WELL, WHEN YOU DO HAVE A FIRM, YOU HAVE MORE RESOURCES, SO YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO HAVE OTHER EXPERTISE AT YOUR DISPOSAL POTENTIALLY, BUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN IS, IN MY SHORT TIME, AND WE'VE DEALT WITH EXTERNAL LAWYERS AS WELL AS AN INTERNAL LAWYER, IS THAT A LOT OF TIMES, YOU NORMALLY DON'T GET THE HOTSHOT LAWYER FOR YOUR COUNCIL MEETINGS ANYWAY.
IN MY OPINION, I THINK THAT COULD BE A WASH, I GUESS.
IN SOME CASES, IT'D BE REALLY GOOD IF YOU HIT ON SOMETHING WHERE YOU HAD A PERSON REALLY THAT'S THEIR EXPERTISE AND THEY CAN HANDLE IT FOR YOU, YOU'D BE ABOVE THE WATER, BUT THEN MAYBE OTHER TIMES YOU MIGHT BE LACKING A LITTLE BIT.
[00:25:01]
THE OBVIOUS ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IS THAT YOU GET TWICE AS MUCH FOR THE SAME MONEY IS WHAT I'M SEEING HERE.I THINK WE OUGHT TO DISCUSS THAT AND I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND BOTH WAYS.
OBVIOUSLY, WHAT COUNCILMEMBER FECHT IS TALKING ABOUT, YOU DON'T WANT THEM DOING ADMINISTRATIVE WORK WHEN THERE'S LEGAL STUFF TO DO.
IF THAT INDEED IS THE CASE, WE WANT THEM TO DO LEGAL STUFF, AND THERE SHOULD BE PLENTY OF THAT.
WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO BEFORE ABOUT CLEANING UP OF ORDINANCES AND MAYBE KATHERINE, YOU CAN ELABORATE ON THIS, IS THAT I THINK THAT WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH AGENDAS AND LOOKING AT THE ORDINANCE REFERENCES AND ALL THAT THING AND MAKE SURE IT'S RIGHT, YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE TIME AND A LOT OF TIME THAT YOU'RE DOING FOR THE MEETINGS IF THERE'S THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE CLEANED UP IN THOSE ORDINANCES.
I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WHEN YOU HAVE AN INTERNAL COUNSEL, MAYBE YOU CAN DO THAT A LITTLE MORE EFFICIENTLY.
>> ACTUALLY JUST GOING IN AND CHANGING THAT, THAT'S TYPICALLY WHAT I DO AND IT'S PRETTY QUICK.
THAT'S PROBABLY WHERE MOST OF MY TIME I SPEND ON THAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
>> GO AHEAD, COUNCIL MEMBER KERCHO.
>> MY QUESTION HERE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT, COUNCILMEMBER JIM IS TALKING ABOUT IN REGARDS TO THE COST DIFFERENCE.
QUESTION IS THAT WE'VE HAD THIS POSTED FOR A WHILE, THE JOB, AND HOW MANY RESUMES HAVE WE RECEIVED?
>> I'VE GOT TWO AT THIS TIME, BUT IS THE POSTING STILL UP?
>> I DON'T THINK IT'S STILL UP.
>> [OVERLAPPING] ONCE WE STARTED HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, BECAUSE WE WEREN'T SURE WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, SO WE'VE TAKEN THAT DOWN.
>> I KNOW WHAT WE TALKED, LAST TIME, ABOUT THAT WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT PARKER MAY BE A STEPPING STONE FOR IN-HOUSE ATTORNEYS.
TO KATHERINE'S POINT IS THAT I THINK HISTORY AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE CITY IS IMPORTANT.
IF WE HAVE PEOPLE CONTINUALLY LEAVE TO TAKE ANOTHER STEP, WE LOSE THAT.
FROM A CONTRACTED PERSPECTIVE, I THINK YOU ACTUALLY DO GAIN THAT ONLY FROM THE ASPECT OF THAT TYPICALLY, THAT PERSON HAS GOT A LOT OF OTHER JOBS GOING ON AND LIKELY WILL STAY AT THE FIRM LONGER AND YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THAT PERSON.
FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, I THINK EXPERIENCE MAY OR MAY NOT BE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO.
I DO THINK THOUGH GOING BACK TO KATHERINE, YOU HAD SAID YOU HAVEN'T SPENT, YOU BELIEVE, 20 HOURS TO DATE ON ANY WEEK, BUT YOU DIDN'T REALLY IDENTIFY HOW MANY HOURS YOU HAVE SPENT.
IS IT CLOSER TO 10, OR 20, OR WHAT IS IT?
>> IF THIS WEREN'T A HOLIDAY WEEK, I WOULD GUESS I WOULD HAVE SOMEWHERE AROUND 12-14 HOURS IN, IN A WEEK WHERE THERE'S A COUNCIL MEETING.
>> IN A NON-COUNCIL WEEK, ARE YOU DEALING WITH FIVE OR SIX HOURS?
>> PROBABLY EIGHT OR 10 BECAUSE USUALLY THOSE NON-COUNCIL MEETING WEEKS ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE THE AGENDA PREPPING THEM.
>> SOME OF THAT DEPENDS ON WHAT'S GOING ON ON ANY GIVEN WEEK. GO AHEAD.
>> I'VE NEVER HAD THE CONVERSATION WITH AMY THAT COUNCILMEMBER FECHT HAD, BUT I CAN EASILY SEE HOW THAT THING CAN HAPPEN, EVEN IF YOU SAY SHE WAS NEVER GIVEN, TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, NON-LEGAL WORK.
I MENTIONED THIS LAST TIME AROUND, I REALLY BELIEVE IN THIS PHILOSOPHY, WORK EXPANDS TO FILL THE TIME ALLOTTED, INVENTORY EXPANDS TO FILL THE SPACE ALLOTTED.
IF YOU BUY SOMEBODY FOR 40 HOURS A WEEK, YOU'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH WORK TO FILL THOSE 40 HOURS, WHETHER IT'S REALLY WORK THAT IS OF THE VALUE THAT YOU NEED TO BE PAYING THAT PERSON TO DO OR NOT, SO THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO FILL THEIR TIME.
THE OTHER THING, AND I'M STILL OPEN TO EITHER ONE, I REALLY AM, I MAY NOT SOUND LIKE I AM, BUT I'M REALLY TRYING TO BE OPEN.
BUT AS I SIT HERE AND I LISTEN TO THE LIST OF ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU SAID WE NEED COUNSEL FOR, THOSE MADE ME THINK THAT'S ALL THE MORE REASON TO GET A FIRM SO THAT WE COULD GET SPECIALIZATION IF IT'S EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT AND HEALTH INSURANCE LAW, OR MEDICARE LAW, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OR IF IT'S CONTRACT LAW.
IN TERMS OF SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS THE LAW AND CAN KEEP US UP TO SPEED, I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER REASON TO TRY TO LOOK FOR A FIRM THAT'S NOT JUST AN INDEPENDENT FIRM THAT WE COULD GO TO, BUT A FIRM THAT HAS EXPERIENCE IN PROVIDING COUNSEL TO CITIES, MAYBE A FIRM THAT HAS EXPERIENCE PROVIDING COUNSEL TO SMALL CITIES SO THAT THEY ALREADY STAY ON TOP OF THOSE THINGS AS A MATTER OF ROUTINE.
IT'S GOING TO BE PROBABLY MORE EFFECTIVE AND MORE EFFICIENT IF AN ORGANIZATION LIKE THAT IS SERVING US BECAUSE THEY JUST SAW A LAW THAT WAS PASSED IN AUSTIN OR ONE THAT'S BEING CONSIDERED THAT THEY CAN NOTIFY 18 OF THEIR CLIENTS OF RIGHT AWAY.
IT MAY NOT GO TO ALL 18 AT THE SAME TIME, BUT THE SAME CONTENT GOES OUT TO 18 DIFFERENT CLIENTS AT THE SAME TIME.
[00:30:03]
IT'S A PRETTY EFFICIENT WAY TO NOTIFY PEOPLE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.I'M THINKING WE MAY GET BETTER OVERALL PRODUCT IF WE STILL HAVE THAT ACCESS TO SPECIALIZED SERVICES.
I UNDERSTAND THE MATHEMATICAL CALCULATION OF THE NUMBER OF HOURS AS WELL.
I'M NOT SURE HOW EXPERIENCED AN ATTORNEY WE'RE GOING TO GET FOR THAT RATE OF PAY.
>> MY ONLY COMMENT TO THAT IS THAT NO MATTER HOW YOU LOOK AT IT, I GUESS IT'S STILL GOING TO DIVIDE OUT THAT WAY, EVEN IF THEY WERE MAKING ANOTHER HALF OF THAT, OR 300,000, IT WOULD STILL BE AN EXTRA 10 HOURS, MAYBE.
>> THE POINT BEING IS THAT, OBVIOUSLY, YOU WANT TO DO THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE FOR YOU, BUT WHEN YOU'RE COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES, THOSE 10 HOURS ARE FREE.
NO MATTER WHAT THEY'RE DOING OR THE 20 HOURS, REALLY, IN THIS CALCULATION, THEY'RE FREE, SO WHETHER IT'S EFFICIENT OR WHETHER IT'S NOT EFFICIENT, ACTUALLY IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY'RE GETTING SOMETHING DONE THAT HELPS US, YOU'RE AHEAD OF THE GAME, IN MY OPINION.
>> IF THEY CAN GIVE US THE INFORMATION THAT IS SPECIALIZED TO OUR NEED WHEN WE NEED IT AND A GENERALIST MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GIVE US THAT SPECIALIZED INFORMATION.
>> CORRECT. HOWEVER, I WANT TO ASK THIS AGAIN BECAUSE I WANT TO UNDERSTAND, IS THAT I THINK WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE THOUGH IS NOT ANY SPECIALIST INFORMATION.
>> I AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER REED ON THAT.
FOR NOW, WE HAVE THE MODEL WHERE WE HAVE KATHERINE, WHO'S HERE AND SHE IS ESSENTIALLY DESIGNATED AS OUR CITY ATTORNEY REPRESENTING US AND HELPING US FOR THE COUNCIL MEETINGS, THAT IS NOT A MODEL THAT HAS A DIFFERENT PERSON EACH WEEK COMING IN WITH A DIFFERENT SPECIALTY GIVEN THE AGENDA TOPICS ON THE AGENDA.
I DON'T FORESEE THAT CHANGING, GIVEN THE DIFFERENT AGENDA ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TO HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSON FROM KATHERINE'S FIRM TO STEP IN AND BE THAT PERSON.
FROM THE AGENDA ITEMS, I FEEL LIKE THAT PERSON WOULD PROBABLY BE A DESIGNATED PERSON DEPENDING UPON WHAT THEIR EXPERTISE LEVEL IS, WILL BE THAT PERSON.
BUT WHEN WE DO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE SPECIAL CASES THAT WE'VE HAD, THE ETJ, THE NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT, AND COUNTLESS OTHER TYPES OF OVER AND ABOVE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN NEEDED BY THAT ATTORNEY, AS YOU NOTED, WE DO HAVE EXTERNAL COUNSEL THAT WE'VE HIRED, BUT HAVING KATHERINE'S THAT LIAISON TO COMMUNICATE BETWEEN THE EXTERNAL COUNSEL AND THE CITY HAS BEEN VERY VALUABLE, IN MY OPINION, DURING THE LAST YEAR.
>> MADAM MAYOR, YOUR LIST JUST SHOWED EIGHT OR 10 DIFFERENT SPECIFICS THAT WE NEED, SHOWING THE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ATTORNEYS THAT WE WOULD NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE ISSUES.
A LOT OF TIME WHEN I WENT TO AMY, THOUGH SHE WAS VERY NICE AND KNOWLEDGEABLE.
WELL OVER HALF THE TIME, SHE'D HAVE TO SAY, I HAVE TO RESEARCH THAT BECAUSE THAT WASN'T HER AREA OF EXPERTISE, BUT I'M OPEN TO BOTH.
>> SOMETIMES AMY WOULD RESEARCH THINGS TO MAKE SURE THE LAW HAD NOT CHANGED, AND SHE WAS UP TO DATE IN EXPERTISE.
MOST ATTORNEYS THAT I'VE EVER DEALT WITH HAVE A GROUP THAT THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH CALLING, AND IT'S LIKE CITY MANAGERS THAT SAY, HEY, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS.
FILL ME IN, JOE, ON WHAT YOU KNOW.
I WAS WITH THE CITY WHEN WE DID HAVE A RETAINED ATTORNEY WHO WAS A SOLO PRACTITIONER, AND HE WAS RETAINED FOR A SPECIFIC AMOUNT TO DO 75 HOURS A MONTH.
NOW, THIS HAS BEEN A WHILE BACK.
HE NEVER EVER [LAUGHTER] CAME IN UNDER, BUT HE WAS ALWAYS OVER.
A LOT OF TIMES I DIDN'T GET THAT DONE BECAUSE MY OTHER CITY NEEDED ME TO GET THIS DONE.
OH, WAIT. I DID THIS FOR A COUNCIL MANAGER CITY.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS JUST THIS PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL, OR JUST PARKER'S QUIRKY.
[LAUGHTER] THAT'S ONE OF THE SPECIAL THINGS ABOUT PARKER. GO AHEAD.
>> KATHERINE, HOW MUCH OF THIS WORK COULD BE DONE BY A PARALEGAL?
>> BY A PARALEGAL. ARE THERE ROUTINE PORTIONS OF IT THAT COULD BE HANDLED BY A WELL-TRAINED PARALEGAL, WHETHER THE PARALEGAL WORKED FOR YOU OR THE PARALEGAL WORKED FOR A LARGE FIRM.
[00:35:04]
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF YOU COULD EMPLOY A PARALEGAL DIRECTLY, BUT IF NOT, IF WE JUST HAD AN INDEPENDENT ATTORNEY THAT WAS IN THE CITY THAT WE HIRED FOR HALFTIME.BECAUSE IF WE ONLY NEED 20 HOURS A WEEK ON A REGULAR BASIS OR LESS, MAYBE WE LOOK FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S GOT EXPERTISE IN THE AREA THAT WE NEED, MAYBE HE'S GOT A PARALEGAL TO HELP THEM AS WELL, AND THAT COVERS ALL OF THE ROUTINE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE, BUT IT DOESN'T USE UP THE ENTIRETY OF THAT BUDGET.
>> I WOULD THAT DOCUMENT DRAFTING COULD GENERALLY BE DONE BY THE PARALEGAL AND HAS TO BE OVERSEEN BY THE ATTORNEY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CORRECT.
I THINK THAT DOING ANYTHING WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO USE SOMEBODY WHO'S PART-TIME, WHO IS A SOLO, HAVING THE BACKGROUND IN MUNICIPAL LAW SOMEPLACE ELSE IS REALLY A BENEFIT BECAUSE GENERAL GOVERNMENT, THAT PART OF IT IS SO SPECIFIC AND SO UNIQUE.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE IF YOU HAVEN'T WORKED IN THE AREA, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW.
I WOULD SAY YOU DEFINITELY WANT SOMEBODY WITH EXPERIENCE, WHETHER IT'S A FIRM OR WHETHER IT'S SOMEBODY THAT YOU'RE HIRING INTERNALLY, THAT'S A KEY CONSIDERATION.
REGARDLESS OF WHICH WAY WE GO, WHETHER IT'S A FIRM, WHETHER IT'S A FULL-TIME PERSON HERE, A HALF-TIME PERSON HERE, A LOCAL PRACTITIONER OR WHATEVER.
WE'VE GOT TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS FAMILIAR WITH THE MUNICIPAL LAW.
THAT'S CLEARLY AN ADVANTAGE YOU HAVE EVEN THOUGH THAT'S NOT YOUR FULL-TIME WORK.
WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THAT AS A BASIS.
THERE ARE ALL THESE OTHER AREAS THAT WE NEED ACCESS TO AS WELL BECAUSE CONTRACT LAW AND EMPLOYMENT LAW AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, BUT WE'VE GOT TO HAVE SOMEBODY.
OF THE TWO THAT HAVE APPLIED, DO THEY HAVE DIRECT EXPERIENCE IN MUNICIPAL LAW, OR ARE THEY JUST A YOUNG-UP AND COMER LOOKING FOR A NEW PLACE TO WORK?
>> I THINK THEY'RE ON THE BACK HALF OF THEIR CAREER, MORE RELOCATING TO BE CLOSER TO FAMILY UP IN THIS AREA.
THAT'S WHAT I GOT FROM THOSE TWO APPLICATIONS.
ONE OF THE APPLICANTS IS A RETIRED CITY ATTORNEY WHO DID MUNICIPAL LAW, AND WANTS TO GET INTO THIS AREA TO BE CLOSER TO HER FAMILY AND LIKE HE SAYS, BACK SIDE OF THE CAREER.
SHE'S RETIRED FROM ANOTHER AREA.
THE OTHER ONE HAS WORKED FOR A MAJOR LAW FIRM FOR A LONG TIME IN MUNICIPAL LAW, I BELIEVE.
>> THEN HE'S ON THIS BACK SIDE OF HIS CAREER, TOO.
>> I THINK HE'S JUST TIRED OF WORKING IN A BIG LAW FIRM, BUT I'M GUESSING BECAUSE ONCE WE MAKE A DECISION ON WHICH WAY TO GO, IF WE GO WITH THE INDIVIDUAL, THEN WE WOULD ACTUALLY REVIEW THEIR DOCUMENTS, AND THEN EVERYBODY WOULD INTERVIEW HIM.
LAST TIME, I THINK WE INTERVIEWED EVERYBODY TWICE, MAYBE EVEN THREE TIMES TILL WE GOT TO THAT PLACE.
BUT LIKE I SAID, WE'VE GOT THOSE TWO, BUT THEN WE PULLED THE DEAL.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL GET MORE.
>> I THINK WHAT YOU GUYS DID LAST TIME WAS THE TOP TWO FIRMS. I THINK YOU BROUGHT THEM BACK FOR A SECOND INTERVIEW.
THEN WITH THE INDIVIDUALS, I THINK YOU BROUGHT TWO OF THEM BACK FOR THREE INTERVIEWS DURING THAT TIME FRAME, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
YOU WEREN'T HERE. WERE YOU? THAT'S JUST JIM AND LEE HERE.
I'M TRYING TO GO OFF MEMORY HERE.
MICHAEL WAS HERE AND TERRY WAS HERE.
>> I DIDN'T SEE CINDY THERE. I THINK WE DID MULTIPLE INTERVIEWS ON THOSE INDIVIDUALS JUST TO GET A BACKGROUND.
JUST GOING BACK TO WHAT TODD SAID ABOUT BUSY WORK.
AMY SPECIALTY WAS MORE CONTRACT LAW, SO SHE WAS WORKING ON SOME DIFFERENT THINGS FOR CONTRACTS.
WE'D HAVE A STANDARD CONTRACT AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
TRACE BACK-END, HIS SPECIALTY WAS LAND USE, REAL ESTATE, STUFF LIKE THAT.
HE WAS VERY HELPFUL IN REBUILDING OUR ANNEXATION MAPS BECAUSE WE DID GET SOME QUIRKY THINGS GOING UP ON LEWIS LANE.
HE WAS ABLE TO FIND ALL THAT AND GET THAT LAID OUT FOR US.
GARY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT.
I WAS GOING TO TAKE HIS EXPERTISE ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT, SO IT WAS ACTUALLY NICE.
WE GOT THAT WORK OUT OF THEM FOR FREE DURING THAT.
EVERYONE'S GOING TO HAVE THEIR OWN LITTLE SPECIALTY AS KATHERINE HAS SAID.
I KNOW SOME OF THESE FIRMS, ALL OF THEM ARE GOING TO HAVE THEIR OWN EXPERTISE.
SOME ARE LITIGATORS, SOME ARE JUST LAND USE, AND EACH ONE OF THOSE PARTNERS ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT.
[00:40:04]
>> THE STRUCTURE THAT THEY PRESENTED TO US LAST TIME IS YES, THERE'S THE MAIN PARTNER AT WHATEVER AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS, AND HE OVERSEES THE NEWEST ASSOCIATE, WHO GETS ASSIGNED TO YOU.
AFTER X AMOUNT OF TIME, THAT ASSOCIATE GETS PROMOTED, AND HE GOES AWAY, AND THEN YOU GET THE NEXT NEW PERSON.
IT'S NOT AS CONSISTENT SOMETIMES, JUST LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, WELL, IF YOU EVEN HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL, THAT INDIVIDUAL MIGHT LEAVE.
>> AS I SIT HERE AND PROCESS THIS, ULTIMATELY, WE WANT TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION FOR THE CITY.
WE'RE HEARING A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT QUESTIONS, AND NONE OF US HAVE THE ABSOLUTE ANSWER TO THAT.
I'M THINKING MAYBE RATHER THAN WE MAKE A DECISION TO EITHER GO COMPLETELY FULL-TIME WITH OUR OWN INDEPENDENT COUNCIL AS AN EMPLOYEE OR WE GO FULL-TIME WITH HIRING THE FIRM, THAT MAYBE WE GOT TO LOOK AT BOTH ROUTES BY INTERVIEWING A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE ACTUAL EMPLOYEES AND INTERVIEWING A COUPLE OF FIRMS THAT WOULD BE THE BEST CANDIDATES.
AFTER WE GO THROUGH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BECOME OBVIOUS WHICH OPTION'S BEST, BUT I THINK WE COULD SIT HERE AND TALK ABOUT THIS FOR TWO MORE HOURS TONIGHT AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO ANY OF THESE QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING IN THEORY.
I THINK WE'VE GOT TO QUIT TALKING IN THEORY.
WHAT WE'VE GOT TO TALK IS IN PRACTICE, AND THE ONLY WAY YOU TALK PRACTICE IS YOU INTERVIEW A COUPLE OF FIRMS, YOU INTERVIEW A COUPLE OF EMPLOYEES, AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THE PROS AND CONS AFTER THAT PROCESS AND SAY, I'M REALLY GETTING A FEEL NOW FOR WHICH WAY WE NEED TO GO.
>> BUDDY, I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY DID LAST TIME, WAS THEY WENT THE FIRM ROUTE FIRST, AND THEN I THINK FROM THE FIRM ROUTE, THEY DECIDED THAT THE CITY WASN'T GOING TO GET MAYBE AS MUCH ATTENTION.
I WASN'T IN THOSE INTERVIEWS, SO I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT I GOT FROM SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THEN THAT'S WHY THEY WENT TO THE INDIVIDUAL, BUT IT'S UP TO COUNCIL WHAT YOU GUYS WANT TO DO.
THAT'S JUST HOW THAT PLAYED OUT LAST TIME.
>> THE SAME THING COULD HAPPEN THIS TIME AROUND, TOO.
I'M JUST SAYING, OR IT COULD TURN OUT EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE THIS TIME. I JUST DON'T KNOW.
>> THANK YOU. I WOULD AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PILGRIM.
I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT BOTH.
I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S PROBABLY TOO MANY FIRMS WE HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND LOOK AT.
THERE'S PROBABLY THE MERCER GROUP, THERE'S THE NICHOLS JACKSON GROUP.
ONE OF THE ONES WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT TML ACTUALLY IS DOING A CITY OVER IN FORT WORTH AND DOING A CITY SUBURB OF DALLAS, HAPPENS TO HAVE THEIR OFFICES OVER PLANO PARKWAY & PRESTON AS A LAW OFFICE LOCATION.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S PROBABLY THAT MANY FIRMS TO GO OUT THERE AND LOOK AT.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE US TO FIND SOMEONE WE'D LIKE FOR IN-HOUSE EITHER.
CERTAINLY, I THINK GOING OUT TO LOOK AT PEOPLE NO INDIFFERENCE TO KATHERINE.
KATHERINE MIGHT BE THE PERFECT PERSON THAT WE WANT TO KEEP HERE, BUT IT WOULD COVER OUR BASES AND IDENTIFY, WHILE WE'RE AT LEAST LOOKING IF WE DO BELIEVE WE WANT TO GO IN-HOUSE, WE CAN AT LEAST FIND SOMEONE PERHAPS ON THE OUTSIDE TO BRAND US OVER.
IF WE FIND ANYONE THAT FITS US PERFECTLY.
I DO BELIEVE FROM AN IN-HOUSE PERSPECTIVE THAT EVENTUALLY WE PROBABLY WILL GO IN-HOUSE ONLY FROM ASPECT THAT WE'VE GOT A LOT TO BE DONE IN-HOUSE.
IT WOULD BE NICE ONCE WE CATCH UP TO MAYBE GO THE OTHER ROUTE.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I STILL BELIEVE, AS COUNCIL MEMBER PILGRIM SAID, IT WOULD BE, I THINK, BEST TO APPROACH BOTH SIDES.
>> I ALSO AGREE WITH WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER PILGRIM SAID.
TWO THINGS, I THINK, WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
ONE, WE LOOK INTO THAT FORM FIT AND FUNCTION, HOW THAT WORKS, AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF IT IS AVAILABILITY.
I THINK THAT WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, YOU'RE GOING TO FIGURE THAT OUT, AND BY TALKING TO HIM, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE FORM FIT AND FUNCTION, AND YOU'LL KNOW THE AVAILABILITY, AND THAT'LL TELL US.
>> THEN WHAT I'M HEARING FOR COUNCIL IS THE DIRECTION YOU WANT US TO DO IS TO POST FOR A FIRM AND TO POST FOR AN IN-HOUSE, AND ONCE WE GET THE INFORMATION IN, WE'LL MEET AND DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE INTERVIEW AND GO FROM THERE.
IS THAT THE DIRECTION YOU-ALL WANT TO FOLLOW?
>> I LIKE THAT, AND IF IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR A MOTION, I'D MAKE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT THAT WE FOLLOW BOTH PATHS, WE PUT OUT A BID FOR FIRMS, AND THEN WE EXAMINE AT LEAST TWO FIRMS, MAYBE THREE, AND WE POST A JOB FOR AN EMPLOYEE.
MAYBE TWO DIFFERENT WAYS ON THAT, FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME, BECAUSE WE MAY NOT NEED A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE, BUT WE MAY FIND A REGULAR ONE THAT WOULD BE AN EMPLOYEE ON A PART-TIME BASIS.
I THINK WE FOLLOW ALL THREE OF THOSE ROUTES ACTUALLY, AND ONCE WE BEGIN TO GET CANDIDATES TO FILL THOSE THREE OPTIONS,
[00:45:05]
THEN WE EVALUATE THEM AND MAKE A DECISION, SO I WOULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION IN THAT EFFECT.>> RECOMMENDATION, THAT'S GOOD.
THIS IS A WORKSHOP, SO WE DON'T DO MOTIONS AND THAT SORT OF THING, BUT I'M HEARING THAT'S THE DIRECTION YOU WANT US TO FOLLOW.
>> MADAM MAYOR, I AGREE WITH THAT.
>> CAN I JUST GET SOME CLARIFICATION AND SOME DIRECTION HERE.
I BELIEVE YOU-ALL GOT WHAT THE LAST RFQ WAS FOR THE CITY ATTORNEYS SERVICES.
WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU- ALL SAW WITHIN THAT THAT NEEDED TO BE CHANGED? WE HIJACKED IT FROM A COUPLE OTHER CITIES, SO IT WAS JUST A VERY BASIC ONE.
IF THERE'S SOME SERVICES OR SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED IN THAT WE CAN DO THAT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M MEETING COUNCIL'S EXPECTATIONS.
>> ON MY SIDE, I DON'T BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, YOU'RE GOING TO PUT IN REQUESTS FOR WHAT EXACTLY YOU WANT WHEN THEY COME, AND THAT'LL TELL YOU IF THEY COME.
THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S TOTALLY DISCONNECTED, WE'LL KNOW RIGHT AWAY.
I THINK THE GENERAL WAY OF GOING THROUGH IT IS THE RIGHT WAY.
>> THEN THAT'S WHAT WE WILL DO.
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND POST FOR FIRM, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND POST FOR IN-HOUSE FULL-TIME, AND IN-HOUSE PART-TIME.
>> NEXT CLARIFICATION: HOW LONG DO WE WANT TO POST THAT FOR?
>> THIRTY, 45 DAYS. WE'LL DO 30 DAYS.
WE'LL PROBABLY GET POSTED UNTIL NEXT WEEK. IS THAT OKAY? [LAUGHTER] I'M CATCHING AN EARLY FLIGHT IN THE MORNING.
>> NOT THAT I DON'T LIKE YOU ALL. I'LL JUST BE ON THE BEACH. THAT'S IT. [LAUGHTER]
>> IF WE HAD TO POST THROUGH THE END OF AUGUST.
>> I WOULD ASK, I THINK, THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AS WHERE WE'RE POSTING FROM A PERSPECTIVE, OBVIOUSLY, WE GOT TO COME UP WITH WHAT FIRMS WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT TO LOOK AT.
>> I GOT A LIST FROM THE LAST TIME.
THERE'S PRETTY MUCH ONLY A HANDFUL OF FIRMS THAT HAVE MUNICIPAL BROWN HOFMEISTER, TAYLOR OLSON SRALLA.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'LL COME THIS FAR OVER.
>> LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THAT FIRM IS.
I'LL GET TOGETHER WITH YOU LATER AS FAR AS THE ONE OVER ON PLANO PARKWAY & PRESTON.
ADDITIONALLY, FOR THE IN-HOUSE, WHETHER IT BE FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME, I KNOW WE POSTED AT TML, BUT I THINK THAT WE COULD POST OTHER PLACES LIKE SMU LAW.
I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY A TEXAS BAR DOWNTOWN IN DALLAS TO POST, SO WE SHOULD LOOK AND SEE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO POST THAT AS WELL.
>> THERE'S A CITY ATTORNEY ACTUAL FIRM GROUP THAT WE CAN POST THAT ON ALSO.
I THINK KATHERINE YOU'RE STILL PART OF THAT OR KNOW SOMEONE THAT CAN [INAUDIBLE] FOR US?
>> YEAH. YOU CAN GET ALL THE EMAIL ADDRESSES FOR TCA MEMBERS AND SEND AN EMAIL TO EVERYBODY.
>> WE WILL TRY TO GET IT POSTED ALL OVER SO WE GET THE BEST RESPONSES AND THEN GO FROM THERE.
IT MAY BE THE SAME ONES THAT WE'VE GOTTEN IN THE PAST, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME NEW ONES OUT THAT WE'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH, SO WE'LL JUST HAVE TO SEE.
>> WE WILL SEE. YES, I THINK WE HAVE A PLAN.
>> FOR THE REST OF THE FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE COUNCIL MEETING STARTS, I WOULD LIKE AGAIN TO ASK, PEOPLE, PLEASE LET US KNOW WHEN YOU'RE AVAILABLE AND WHEN YOU'RE NOT.
SOME OF YOU HAVE, SOME OF YOU HAVEN'T.
IT MAKES SCHEDULING VERY DIFFICULT FOR SOME OF THE WORKSHOPS.
I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO DO A FOR US TO HAVE A WORKSHOP ON, WAS IT THE 20TH, I DON'T HAVE MY CALENDAR IN FRONT OF ME, 23RD.
I WAS ASKED TO DO ONE THEN AND TO DO IT FROM 5:00 UNTIL 9:00, SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHERE WE COULD DO MORE THAN ONE WORKSHOP OR MORE THAN ONE TOPIC AT THAT TIME.
I'M HESITANT TO DO THAT UNLESS I KNOW PEOPLE CAN BE AVAILABLE.
>> MADAM MAYOR, IS THAT DATE A CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING DATE?
>> JUST AS A NOTE OF REFERENCE, DURING OUR PREVIOUS MEETING, WE HAD A DISCUSSION REGARDING HOLDING WORKSHOPS EARLIER THAN OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS ON THE SAME MEETING DATE AS THE CITY REGULAR COUNCIL MEETINGS, AND SO I WAS WONDERING, IS THIS A SPECIAL NEEDS TO BE OFF CYCLE COMPARED TO OUR REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
>> I'M GUESSING THAT BECAUSE OF THE SEVERAL TOPICS
[00:50:01]
THAT ARE TO COME UP AND TRYING TO GET THROUGH THEM AS TIMELY AS POSSIBLE IS WHY.BUT MR. KERCHO IS WHO WAS ASKING FOR US TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE ONE.
HE WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS IN MORE DETAIL THE CIP AND PRIORITIZE FUNDING FOR THAT.
HE WANTS TO DISCUSS VOLUNTEERS. WHAT ELSE?
>> THERE ARE SEVERAL. THE THING IS THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO GO INTO BUDGETING.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE PROGRAM, THEN BASICALLY ALL THE WORKSHOPS ARE BUDGET WORKSHOPS, WHICH MEANS WE WON'T GET WHETHER IT'S GOAL SETTING ADDITIONALLY.
WE WON'T GET REALLY ANY WORKSHOP DONE OTHER THAN BUDGETING.
SO FROM THAT STANDPOINT, I SAID, LET'S TRY AND TAKE THE 23RD IS ONE DATE, NOT A CONSTANT MIDDLE BETWEEN THE TWO CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND TRY AND HAMMER OUT AS MANY OF THESE OTHER WORKSHOPS AS WE CAN BEFORE WE GET HEAVY INTO BUDGETING.
>> BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT.
I BELIEVE THE WORKSHOPS ARE SET FOR JULY 16.
THE NEXT ONE WOULD BE AUGUST SOMETHING.
MR. KERCHO WANTED TO SEE IF WE COULD JUST MAKE IT A LITTLE FASTER.
>> WE DO HAVE ONE FOR THE 16TH BEFORE COUNCIL?
>> YES, WE DO. NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A WORKSHOP, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BEFORE BEFORE THE ACTUAL COUNCIL ON THE 16TH.
>> WE THINK IN GENERALLY WORKSHOPS ARE GOING TO BE AN HOUR IN LENGTH FOR EACH TOPIC. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA?
IF YOU TELL ME, FOR EXAMPLE, ON ONE OF THEM THAT RANDY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT, WHERE HE'S TALKING ABOUT FUNDING FOR CIP.
THAT MAY BE MORE THAN AN HOUR.
THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT HAS TO BE DISCUSSED IN THAT. I DON'T KNOW.
>> I WOULD SUGGEST THE FUNDING FOR CIP IS ACTUALLY A BUDGET DISCUSSION.
YOU'RE BUDGETING YOUR FINANCE FOR THE COMING YEAR AND THE CIP IS A DOCUMENT THAT SHOULD GUIDE YOUR DECISIONS ON HOW YOU BUDGET THE MONEY IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
I WOULD SAY THE CIP IS A REFERENCE DOCUMENT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED DURING THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS AS PART OF THAT PROCESS.
>> I AGREE THAT IT'S A BUDGETING TOPIC, OBVIOUSLY WRITTEN UP THAT WAY.
MY DISCUSSION WAS THAT BASED UPON IT, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE DISCUSSION WOULD GO, BUT I DO THINK IT'S PROBABLY AN HOUR, AT LEAST OR MAYBE OVER AN HOUR.
OUR BUDGETING TYPICALLY GOES RIGHT UP TO THE MINUTE, AND WE DON'T TYPICALLY HAVE EXTRA TIME DURING BUDGETING.
CIP IS DUE TO THE BUDGETING OVERALL PERSPECTIVE.
IF YOU SAY, HEY, I FILL UP MY TIME ANYWAY WITH THE NORMAL BUDGET, THEN I DON'T REALLY HAVE TIME FOR THE CIP, AS WELL AS, AGAIN, THE GOAL SETTING, VOLUNTEER DIRECTION, ET CETERA.
IT WAS A HOPE TO GET ONE DAY TO TRY AND KNOCK OUT SEVERAL THINGS.
>> JUST REMEMBER, WE'VE GOT JULY 30TH.
I HAVEN'T GOT A LOT OF RESPONSES BACK.
THAT'S THE FIRST BUDGET WORKSHOP, AND IT'S AT 9:00 AM.
IT'S GOING TO BE PRETTY MUCH A WHOLE DAY THING.
>> THAT'S GOING TO BE THE FIRST.
>> WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ONE ON THE 16TH.
>> NO, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE BUDGET 101 THAT GRIM WILL GO THROUGH.
HE'LL GO THROUGH THE DEFINITIONS TERMS, ALL THAT WITH COUNCIL SO YOU ALL UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS MOVING FORWARD AND TIMELINES AND EVERYTHING.
>> THAT'S MORE BUDGET. IT'S JUST, WHAT IS COUNCIL'S PLEASURE? IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO LET US KNOW WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO DO BECAUSE IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW RANDY'S PLAN, IF THAT'S TOO MUCH AND YOU'RE NOT AVAILABLE, WE JUST NEED SOME DIRECTION.
>> I'VE FOUND SHORTER MEETINGS THAT ARE MORE EFFICIENT TO ACHIEVE MORE THAN LONG MEETINGS AS A GENERAL CONCEPT.
HOWEVER, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THE LUXURY OF THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE SO MANY TO GET ALL THESE DONE, AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE BUDGET MEETINGS ARE LONG.
THERE'S THERE'S JUST NO WAY TO GO THROUGH ALL THAT INFORMATION, UNFORTUNATELY.
THOSE ARE LAID IN THERE, AND THEN AS RANDY SAID, WE WERE IN THE BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETING THE OTHER DAY AND WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING WORKSHOPS, BUT THEN WE WERE TRYING TO FOLD IT INTO ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO, AND IT JUST GETS REALLY TOUGH BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF BUSY SCHEDULES AND SO FORTH.
I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU. I THINK IT'S BETTER TO GO.
BUT IF YOU DO HAVE SOME TIME WHERE THE DEFENSE OF ACTUALLY DOING IT ON A NON-COUNCIL MEETING,
[00:55:03]
IS THAT IT'S A LITTLE BETTER THAT YOU'RE IN A WORKSHOP FORM WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET UP AND YOU CAN TAKE A BREAK FIVE MINUTES IN BETWEEN DIFFERENT TOPICS AND THAT SORT OF THING, COME BACK.YOU'RE NOT SO COMPRESSED WHERE YOU HAVE TO DO IT RIGHT BACK TO BACK TO THE THE FRONT OR BACK OF THE BUDGET.
THAT WAS THE COMPROMISE WE'VE COME UP WITH TO TRY TO GET IT ALL DONE.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE THE BEST WAY TO GO AS FAR AS THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE.
OTHERWISE, IT'S DIFFICULT TO GET EVERYBODY TOGETHER.
>> WE LOAD EVERYONE UP WITH SUGAR.
> I'LL SPEAK UP AND TELL YOU I COULD DO THE 23RD IF WE NEED TO DO IT.
I WOULD NOT WANT TO MEET EVERY SINGLE TUESDAY NIGHT OF THE MONTH, BUT IF WE NEED TO DO THAT.
>> PARDON? WE'LL PUT YOU AS A QUESTION.
WE WILL SEND OUT INFORMATION ON THAT.
>> TODD, YOU'RE WRAPPING BACK THERE.
>> ONE OTHER THING FROM THE WORKSHOP PERSPECTIVE.
I KNOW WE HAD DISCUSSIONS PREVIOUSLY ABOUT STARTING AT 5:00.
I QUESTIONED WHY THIS ONE DIDN'T START AT 5:00 AND IT CAME BACK TO BASICALLY SAYING WE HAVE A HARD ENOUGH TIME GETTING PEOPLE TO THE COUNCIL MEETING.
I LIKE TO REAFFIRM IF EVERYONE FEELS AS THOUGH WE WANT TO START AT 5:00 FOR WORKSHOPS, LESS THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ITEMS FOR THAT WORKSHOP, THEN WE'D START AT 6:00, I THINK IS WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY, BUT IS THAT STILL THE CASE WITH EVERYBODY?
>> I WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT MY NOTES AND WHAT WAS SAID WAS FOR SOME PEOPLE, BECAUSE THEY'RE COMING FROM WORK, IT WAS TOO HARD TO GET HERE BY 5:00.
IT NEEDED TO BE NO LATER OR START NO EARLIER THAN 6:00.
THAT'S WHY THE CHANGE WAS MADE.
I CAN'T PREDICT THE TRAFFIC ON 635 OR 75, IT IS WHAT IT IS.
AS LONG AS WE'RE MAKING COMMENTS ON ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS, I DO WANT TO MAKE THIS COMMENT.
AT THE LAST MEETING THAT I WAS AT, I ANNOUNCED THAT I WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR THE JULY 2ND MEETING, AND I BOTH LOOKED AT WHAT TOOK PLACE ON THAT MEETING AND READ SOME OF THE MINUTES FROM THAT MEETING OR SOME OF THE NOTES FROM THAT MEETING.
IT APPEARED TO BE PRESENTED AS THOUGH EVERYONE WAS SURPRISED THAT I WASN'T THERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY ANYBODY WOULD HAVE BEEN SURPRISED BECAUSE I ANNOUNCED IT PUBLICLY THAT THAT WAS MY 47TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY AND I WOULD NOT BE THERE THAT NIGHT.
I KNOW THE MEETING HAD TO BE CANCELED.
I KNEW TODD HAD ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE THERE.
JIM WASN'T THERE, BUT THAT WAS BEYOND HIS CONTROL, I THINK, BECAUSE OF A LATE FLIGHT.
BUT IT WAS KNOWN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING I WAS NOT GOING TO BE THERE, AND I SPOKE TO LUKE ON THE FRIDAY BEFORE BECAUSE HE WAS LOOKING FOR A SUPER QUORUM FOR SOME SPECIFIC ITEMS, AND I CONFIRMED TO HIM ON THE FRIDAY BEFORE THAT I WOULD NOT BE THERE.
THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SURPRISE TO ANYONE.
>> NO. I WASN'T. I KNEW THAT YOU WERE.
TODD HAD BACK AND FORTH ON SOME THINGS, AND JIM-
>> WAS ON THAT WAS ON ME WITH MY TRAVEL, SO I JUST COULDN'T MAKE IT BACK ON TIME.
I WILL CLOSE THE WORKSHOP AT 6:59 PM.
AS SOON AS IT SAYS SEVEN, WE WILL.
IT IS 7:00 PM ON JULY 2ND, 2024, AND I'M CALLING THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PARKER CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER.
AGAIN, I WILL ASK MR. OLSON, DO I HAVE A QUORUM?
>> THANK YOU, SIR. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL DO THE PLEDGE.
HOW ABOUT SUSAN? NO. HOW ABOUT VICKI PILGRIM? HAVE YOU?
[01:00:01]
NO. NOBODY WANTS TO DO THE PLEDGES.ROXANNE, WILL YOU DO THE AMERICAN PLEDGE AND BILLY, WILL YOU DO THE TEXAS PLEDGE?
[PUBLIC COMMENTS]
WE HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS.THE FIRST I HAVE IS COLLEEN HALBERT.
>> HI. MAYOR COUNCIL. I'M COLLEEN HALBERT.
I LIVE AT 3100 DUBLIN ROAD, AND I'M ACTUALLY WANTING TO SPEAK ON YOUR WORKSHOP.
I HAVE SIX YEARS OF EXPERIENCE ON CITY COUNCIL IN A NEIGHBORING CITY AND I'VE WORKED WITH AN EXTERNAL LAWS FIRM.
I DID WANT TO BRING UP SOME ITEMS THAT I THOUGHT NEEDED TO BE CONSIDERED.
ONE IS CONSIDERING THE TOTAL LEGAL COST OF BOTH IN HOUSE COUNCIL AND WHAT YOU'RE PAYING EXTERNAL COUNCIL IS ALTOGETHER.
I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE APPLES TO APPLES.
SECONDARILY, I THINK THAT THE ROSTER THAT COMES WITH AN EXTERNAL FIRM GIVES YOU GREATER DEPTH AND THAT SPECIALTY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO FIND, WHETHER IT'S ORDINANCES, LEGISLATIVE UPDATES, ZONING, LAWSUITS, CHARTER COMMISSION, IF THAT BECOMES A THING, EMPLOYEE ISSUES, AND THEN ALSO HELPING TO FIND COURT PROSECUTORS AND JUDGES, IN CASE THAT ALSO NEEDS TO BECOME AN ISSUE.
THEN AS FAR AS THE FIRMS GO, I HAVE WORKED WITH BOTH BROWN & HOFMEISTER AND MUSTERS LAW FIRM.
OUR LEGAL FEES WENT FROM $450,000 DOWN TO $150,000 ONCE WE WENT BROWN & HOFMEISTER, AND THAT WAS DUE TO THEIR LEGAL COUNSEL AND ADVICE THAT WE WERE GIVEN THAT INCURRED MANY, MANY LAWSUITS AND SETTLEMENTS.
I DID WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR AS WELL.
ONE POINT ABOUT THE ORDINANCE CREATION, I DO SEE THAT HAVING THEM BE CONSISTENT ACROSS YOUR BOOK OF ORDINANCES IS ONE THING.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A ROSTER OF MULTIPLE CITIES WITHIN YOUR LAW FIRM AND YOU SAY, WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO PROHIBIT THE SELLING OF ANIMALS AT SOUTH FORK RANCH, THEY ALREADY HAVE THOSE EASILY AT THERE.
THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO GO OUT AND DO THE RESEARCH IN THE SAME WAY. THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS SUSAN MEDRANO AND I LIVE AT 4406 DOVER DRIVE.
PART OF THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO SPEAK TODAY IS BECAUSE OF THE ATTORNEY SITUATION.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT THE CITY IS NOT ADDRESSING, AND THERE ARE SOME PRETTY SERIOUS ISSUES WITH GRAND HOMES, SPECIFICALLY THAT THE MAYOR, LUKE, AND GARY ARE WELL AWARE OF, INCLUDING VIOLATIONS OF PARKER LAW THAT AREN'T BEING ADDRESSED BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE AN ATTORNEY, AND IT'S RIDICULOUS.
>> BILLY BARON. ROXANNE BOGDON.
DO YOU'ALL WANT TO COME UP TOGETHER? [LAUGHTER]
>> ROXANNE BOGDON, 6701 OF BROOK DRIVE IN PARKER.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TIME AND SPACE TO SPEAK.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF MY EXPERIENCES WITH SOUTH FORK RANCH AND SOME OF THEIR NOISE ISSUES THAT SEEM TO BE ONGOING AND GETTING WORSE.
THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES THAT I PERSONALLY HAVE CALLED OUR PARKER POLICE DEPARTMENT AT 2:00 AM.
BECAUSE MY BEDROOM LAYING IN MY BED, IT FEELS LIKE A NIGHTCLUB LIKE I'M LIVING ON TOP OF A NIGHTCLUB IN NEW YORK CITY.
I FEEL THE BASE, I HAVE WOOD BLINDS IN MY ROOM, LIKE BIG PLANTATION SHUTTERS.
THEY ARE VIBRATING WITH THE BASE THAT IS COMING OUT OF THE SOUTH FORK.
I'M A REASONABLE PERSON AND I UNDERSTAND THEY HAVE TO HAVE BUSINESS, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO TIGHTEN UP OUR ORDINANCES TO CURB SOME OF THE LATE NIGHT STUFF.
[01:05:03]
I THINK AFTER 10:00 PM I THINK YOU HAVE TO RESPECT YOUR NEIGHBORS.I'M EXPECTED TO RESPECT MY NEIGHBORS SO I BELIEVE THIS BUSINESS SHOULD HAVE TO RESPECT THEIR NEIGHBORS AS WELL.
THIS LAST GO AROUND THAT WE HAD, I WAS IN MY MEDIA ROOM IN THE MIDDLE OF MY HOUSE NO WINDOWS.
IT IS SOUND INSULATED BECAUSE IT'S A MEDIA ROOM AND WE WERE WATCHING A WORLD WAR II MOVIE WITH LOTS OF BOMBS AND AIRPLANES, AND I HAD GUESTS OVER, AND WE COULD HEAR SOUTH FORKS OVER THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MOVIE, THEY'RE WHAT IS THAT? THEY WERE LOOKING AROUND SO WE HAD TO GO OUTSIDE TO FIGURE OUT THAT IT WAS SOUTH FORK AND IT WAS OUTRAGEOUS THAT WE COULD FEEL AND HEAR INSIDE OVER A MOVIE WITH NO WINDOWS IN THAT ROOM.
I ALSO HAVE A FRIEND WHO LIVES IN LUCAS OVER FOUR MILES AWAY.
THE LAST GO AROUND, I GOT A TEXT FROM HER AND SHE'S WHAT CONCERT IS GOING ON AND I'M LIKE, WHY? CAN YOU HEAR IT? SHE SAID, YEAH, IT SOUNDS REALLY ANNOYING.
SHE SAID, I CAN'T BELIEVE I CAN HEAR IT OVER MY TV IN MY HOUSE IN LUCAS, TEXAS, FOUR MILES AWAY.
SHE LIVES ALMOST ALL THE WAY OVER TO BETHANY, I THINK THAT'S BETHANY.
SO I THINK IT'S GOTTEN OUT OF CONTROL.
I THINK WE HAVE SOME RULES, I THINK SOME OF THEM AREN'T BEING FOLLOWED.
I THINK SOUTH FORK DOESN'T FOLLOW.
I THINK THEY MIGHT HAVE IT IN THEIR CONTRACT WITH THESE GUYS, BUT THEY'RE NOT ENFORCING OR NOBODY'S CHECKING SO I'D LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO LOOK OVER THE ORDINANCE AND SEE HOW WE CAN TIGHTEN THAT UP AND LET THEM BE A BETTER NEIGHBOR TO US BECAUSE IT'S NOT FAIR TO MY MOTHER WHO LIVES WITH US, WHO LITERALLY CAN'T SLEEP WHEN THE ROOM IS SHAKING AND SHE'S AT THE BACK OF OUR PROPERTY, WHICH BACKS RIGHT UP SOUTH FORK.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND ASSISTANCE IN LOOKING THAT OVER.
>> BILLY BARON 6707 OVERBROOK.
I USED TO TALK ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BACK IN THE PRE COVID DAYS THEN WHEN COVID HAPPENED, IT GOT A LOT BETTER, BUT NOW IT'S GETTING WORSE AGAIN.
AT OUR LAST MEETING, THEY GOT CANCELED I WAS ABLE TO GET SEVERAL OF MY NEIGHBORS HERE AND WE WERE ALL GOING TO SPEAK, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO ATTEND TONIGHT, SO MORE PEOPLE WERE GOING TO SPEAK ON THIS.
EVERYTHING ROXANNE SAID, I AGREE WITH 100%.
MY ISSUE, I DON'T CARE IF I'M IN MY BACKYARD AND I HEAR THEM, I DON'T CARE.
I DON'T WANT TO BE HEARING IT IN OUR HOUSE.
WHAT THE PRIMARY PROBLEM IS BASE.
DUE TO THE NATURE OF SOUND, BASE TRAVELS FURTHER THAN MID RANGER TREMBLE SOUNDS DO.
BY THE TIME YOU GET TO OUR HOUSES, WHICH ARE AT LEAST A QUARTER MILE AWAY FROM WHERE THE STAGE IS, YOU ONLY HEAR BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.
YOU DON'T USUALLY HEAR THE SINGING OR WHATEVER ELSE.
THAT LEADS TO A PROBLEM, WHICH IS THAT OUR ORDINANCE RIGHT NOW DOES NOT SPECIFY HOW DECIBELS SHOULD BE MEASURED.
WHAT HAPPENS IS BY DEFAULT, THE EQUIPMENT THE POLICE USES WHAT'S CALLED AN A-WEIGHTING AND THAT DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE BASE SOUNDS SO THE MEASUREMENTS THAT ARE TAKEN DON'T REALLY MATCH THE REALITY OF WHAT WE HEAR.
WHEN THE POLICE COME OUT AND MEASURE IT AND THEY USE THE A-WEIGHTING, THE NUMBERS ARE VERY LOW, LIKE THEY CAME OUT LAST TIME, AND LEE, I KNOW, HEARD IT AND THE POLICE MEASUREMENT THEY TOLD US WAS 50 DECIBELS, WHICH IS THE EQUIVALENT TO THE NOISE OF YOUR REFRIGERATOR.
IF IT WAS THE NOISE OF A REFRIGERATOR, NONE OF US WOULD BE HERE TALKING ABOUT THIS AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE OF THAT WEIGHTING.
I'VE BEEN TALKING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND WE'VE BEEN RESEARCHING OTHER CITIES ORDINANCES OR WHATEVER.
THE PROPOSAL WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS ON MAY 28, ALLEN PASSED NEW NOISE ORDINANCE ON THEIR CONSENT AGENDA,
[01:10:04]
SO IT WASN'T REALLY CONTROVERSIAL THAT MYSELF AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO THINK WOULD BE A GOOD BASIS SO LET ME JUST.>> THANK YOU. I'LL MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY GETS A COPY OF THIS.
>> BY THE WAY, STUFF IN RED IS JUST OUR COMMENTS ON SOME STUFF.
>> HI. MY NAME IS SHARISA, AND THIS IS REGARDING 4405 DOVER DRIVE, WHERE WE LIVE, AND WE HAD CONSTANT FLOODING IN MAY, WHERE WE HAD LOTS OF RAIN.
THIS IS MAINLY BECAUSE THE WATER FROM THE FIELDS, THERE'S A CULVERT BEHIND OUR BACK YARD THAT'S IN THE EAST PROPERTY ZONE, AND THERE IS NO WAY FOR THE WATER TO ESCAPE SO WATER FINDS ITS WAY TO COME INTO OUR YARD AND I'VE SUBMITTED SOME PICTURES.
IT'S REALLY, REALLY BAD SO THERE'S TONS OF WATER.
IT'S LIKE A RIVER FLOWING IN OUR BACKYARD, THAT EVENTUALLY FINDS ITS WAY TO GO TO THE FRONT AND IT FLOODED OUR NEIGHBORS DRIVEWAYS SO THAT IS THE AMOUNT OF WATER I'M TALKING ABOUT, WHICH IS FLOODING OUR BACKYARD, AND WE HAD FLOODING FOR ALMOST SEVEN OR EIGHT TIMES SIMILAR KIND OF FLOODS.
MY REQUEST IS I BELIEVE IT COULD BE THE DEVELOPER, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE TO FIX IT OR I DON'T KNOW HONESTLY, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE TO FIX IT SO MY REQUEST IS, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT I COULD MEET THE DEVELOPER AND SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE IN THIS MATTER BECAUSE THERE IS A BIG CULVERT, AND THERE'S NO WAY FOR THE WATER TO GO SO IT'S ENTERING MY YARD DIRECTLY AND FLOODING MY YARD.
THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> HI, I'M TED LINE AT 5004 DUBLIN CREEK LANE, AND I AM HERE TO READ A LETTER ON BEHALF OF ADAM FLOYD.
I BELIEVE YOU ALL ARE IN RECEIPT OF THIS LETTER, BUT I'M READING IT FOR THE RECORD.
ADAM SAYS THAT HE'S UNABLE TO ATTEND CITY COUNCIL TODAY ON JULY 2, 2024, AND IS REQUESTING THE FOLLOWING.
THIS FOLLOWS ON HIS LETTER OF MAY 3, 2024 SUBMITTED TO THIS BODY.
IN A TYPE A GENERAL LAW MUNICIPALITY, LIKE PARKER, THE MAYOR DOES NOT HAVE THE POWER TO ENTER INTO CONTRACTS, HIRE ATTORNEYS, OR CONTROL LITIGATION.
THESE POWERS LIE EXPRESSLY AND SOLELY WITH CITY COUNCIL.
THE MAYOR CONTINUES TO SUBVERT THE LAW AND HAS HIRED AND DIRECTED ATTORNEYS IN CITY MATTERS.
FOR EXAMPLE, ART RODRIGUEZ OF MESSER FORT HAS APPEARED ON BEHALF OF THE CITY IN THE GREGORY LANE RESIDENT CASE.
IN THAT CASE, HE SIDED WITH THE HUFFINES SUPPORTING THE VIEW THAT GREGORY LANE IS A PUBLIC ROAD AND THE TRO SHOULD BE LIFTED.
RESIDENTS ARE ROWING TO REMOVE MAYOR PETTLE FOR CAUSE AND INCOMPETENCE.
IN FURTHERANCE OF THAT GOAL, THEY HAVE REQUESTED CERTAIN PUBLIC INFORMATION RELATING TO THE MAYOR'S ILLEGAL ACTIONS AND VIOLATING THE TEXAS OPEN MEETING ACT, SOME OF WHICH ARE SPELLED OUT IN A LETTER OF MAY 3.
THE MAYOR IS DIRECTING KATHERINE CLIFTON AND ART RODRIGUEZ TO RESIST RELEASING INFORMATION, WHICH WOULD BE INCRIMINATING TO HER.
IT IS MY HOPE THAT HIDING INFORMATION FROM THE PUBLIC IS NOT SOMETHING THE CITY COUNCIL WILL ABIDE.
AS HELD IN THE CITY OF BONHAM VERSUS SOUTHWEST SANITATION AND THE TEXAS APPELLATE COURT OF TEXARKANA IN 1994, AND MANY OTHER CASES CITED THEREIN, THE CITY MAY CONTRACT ONLY UPON EXPRESS AUTHORIZATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL BY VOTE OF THAT BODY REFLECTED IN THE MINUTES.
IT EXPRESSLY HELD THAT THE ACTS OF THE MAYOR ARE INEFFECTUAL AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE CONTRACTS TO HIRE ATTORNEYS OR NON DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS.
MOREOVER PARKER CITY ORDINANCES 3030B REQUIRE THAT THE MUNICIPAL ATTORNEY SHALL REPRESENT THE CITY IN ALL LEGAL MATTERS PERTAINING TO THE CITY AT THE DIRECTION AND THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
CLEARLY, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS THE POWER TO HIRE ADDITIONAL ATTORNEY AS NEEDED, BUT THE MAYOR DOES NOT.
THESE ATTORNEYS WERE ILLEGALLY HIRED BY AND DIRECT BY THE MAYOR TO SERVE HER OWN AGENDA.
IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL TO USE TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO PAY FOR THE MAYOR'S ATTORNEYS.
MOREOVER, PARKER CITY ORDINANCE 3030 C EXPRESSLY FORBIDS THE MUNICIPAL ATTORNEY FROM CREATING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST BY RENDERING
[01:15:02]
LEGAL ADVICE OR REPRESENTING INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS OF THE CITY.THIS IS BASED ON THE RULES OF ETHICS AND WOULD APPLY TO ANY ATTORNEY HIRED BY THE CITY.
THUS, IT IS ADAM'S OPINION THAT MESSER FORT AND CLIFTON OF ROSS GAN AWAY CLIFTON ARE CONFLICTED BY REPRESENTING THE CITY AS THEY REPRESENT THE MAYOR. THANK YOU.
>> COULD I ASK YOU IF WE COULD GET THE DELAY AGAIN AND SPOKE ABOUT THE GRAND HOMES ISSUE, TO COME BACK AND AT LEAST TELL US AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THOSE ISSUES ARE.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THOSE ISSUES ARE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO COUNSEL IF WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT ISSUE, AT LEAST HAVE AN OVERVIEW.
>> THERE'S A MULTITUDE OF ISSUES.
THE CITY IS IN RECEIPT OF SEVERAL EMAILS FROM HOMEOWNERS WHO HAVE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WITH THEIR HOME.
WE'VE HAD IN EXCESS OF 40 WARRANTY CLAIMS AND THROUGH OUR PROCESS OF BUYING THIS HOUSE, WE ALSO DETERMINED THAT GRAND HOMES VIOLATED CITY ORDINANCE 155.25, I THINK IT IS, WHERE NO LOT SHALL BE PERMITTED OR SOLD PRIOR TO A FINAL PLAT BEING APPROVED.
GRAND HOMES SOLD US OUR LOT 346 DAYS BEFORE THE FINAL PLAT WAS APPROVED.
THEY SOLD ALL 19 OF THEIR LOTS IN PHASE 3 PRIOR TO THE FINAL PLAT BEING APPROVED.
IF YOU READ THE CITY ORDINANCE, IT CARRIES A FINE OF $2,000 PER VIOLATION EVERY DAY IS A VIOLATION.
THEY THINK THEY'RE TOTALLY FINE IN THUMBING THEIR NOSE AT THE CITY OF PARKER.
GARY MACHADO AND LUKE HAVE MET WITH THE CITY OF PARKER WITH STEVEN BROOKS, PERSONALLY, WHO IS THE CEO.
HE'S DONE NOTHING TO FIX THE ISSUES.
THIS CITY NEEDS TO NOT ALLOW A BUILDER TO DO THE THINGS THAT THIS COMPANY IS DOING.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
>> THE LETTER FROM MR. FLOYD WILL BE ATTACHED AS WILL COMMENTS FROM RICK BIBAS THAT WILL BE ATTACHED AS A PUBLIC COMMENT.
[ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST]
TOMORROW, IS IT TOMORROW? JULY 3, WEDNESDAY AT FIVE O'CLOCK, THE PARKER FEST PLANNING COMMITTEE WILL MEET RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM TO CONTINUE PLANNING FOR PARKER FEST, IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED IN JOINING THAT COMMITTEE AND WORKING WITH US, COME ON YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME.THE CITY WILL BE CLOSED JULY 4 AND JULY 5 FOR THE HOLIDAYS THEN PARKS AND RECREATION COME HAS A MEETING ON JULY 10 AT 5:00 PM IT'S THEIR REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING.
NOW, MOVING TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
THERE ARE FOUR ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES FOR JUNE 4, APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES FOR JUNE 18, CONSIDERATION AND OR ANY APPROPRIATE ACTION ON RESOLUTION NUMBER 2024-801, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ACCEPT OR REJECT GIFTS TO THE CITY OF PARKER IN THE AMOUNT OF $100 OR LESS AND REQUIRING A RECORD TO BE KEPT BY THE CITY OF ALL ACCEPTED OR REJECTED GIFTS.WHAT THIS IS IS THE MAYOR HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO ACCEPT GIFTS OF $500.
WE'RE JUST MOVING IT UP SOME BECAUSE OF INFLATION SO THAT IS WHAT'S ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. MR. KERCHO.
>> MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS STATED APPROVING THE JUNE 4 AND JUNE 18 MEETING MINUTES, AND THE APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 2024-801, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ACCEPT OR REJECT GIFTS TO THE CITY OF PARKER OF $1,000 OR LESS, AND REQUIRING A RECORD TO BE KEPT BY THE CITY OF ALL ACCEPTED OR REJECTED GIFTS.
>> MADAM MAYOR, I SECOND THE MOTION.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER KERCHO AND A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER
[01:20:02]
[INAUDIBLE] TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, I WILL CALL FOR YOUR VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5-0. THANK YOU.
NEXT, WE WILL GO TO THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS,
[5. CONSIDERATION AND/OR ANY APPROPRIATE ACTION ON AN ORDINANCE NO. 869 OF THE CITY OF PARKER, COLLIN COUNTY, TEXAS, REPEALING CITY OF PARKER ORDINANCE NO. 832; PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE AND SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. [PUBLIC SAFETY]]
STARTING WITH ITEM NUMBER 5.CONSIDERATION AND OR ANY APPROPRIATE ACTION ON ORDINANCE NUMBER 869 OF THE CITY OF PARKER REPEALING THE PARKER ORDINANCE NUMBER 832, PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE AND SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
THIS IS ON THE RESCINDING THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
IT WAS FORMED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN OUR POLICE CHIEF LEFT AND WE DIDN'T HAVE A POLICE CHIEF SO WE FORMED THE COMMITTEE TO WORK WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE NOW HAVE A POLICE CHIEF AND EVERYTHING'S GOING GOOD SO WE DON'T NEED THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ANYMORE SO THAT'S WHAT THAT'S ABOUT.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, MR. KERCHO.
>> MAM MAYOR MOVE TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 869, REPEALING ORDINANCE NUMBER 832, PROVIDING BOTH A SAVINGS AND SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND DECLARING AND EFFECTIVE DATE OF JULY 2, 2024.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER KERCHO AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER FECHT TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 869 RESCINDING THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MAYOR PRO TEM REED?
>> THE ONLY DISCUSSION THAT I WOULD HAVE IS THAT I THINK THAT IT MAY BE GOOD TO HELP PARED THIS TO HAVE A MORE ROUTINE REVIEW FROM THE POLICE CHIEF, MAYBE ONCE A QUARTER OR SOMETHING IN THAT NATURE SO WE CAN MAYBE GET MORE FEEDBACK TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
>> MADAM MAYOR, I HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT.
MADAM MAYOR, I BELIEVE THAT THE RESULT OF THIS ACTION, IF PASSED WOULD REVERT THE REPORTING STRUCTURE OF THE POLICE CHIEF BACK TO THE CITY MANAGER.
>> IT'S NOT A PART OF THIS AND THAT IS UNDER THE MAYOR.
ALL PERSONNEL IS UNDER THE MAYOR.
>> I'M JUST REFERRING BACK TO THE ORDINANCES ON THIS AGENDA ITEM AND WHAT THEY STATE.
>> CAN I ASK FOR CLARIFICATION?
>> I'M ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION IN TERMS OF THE NET RESULT OF RESOLVING THE COMMITTEE IN TERMS OF THE REPORTING STRUCTURE OF THE POLICE CHIEF.
>> THAT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS, AND THERE'S MULTI FACTORS GOING INTO THAT.
PART OF IT IS LUCAS IS STILL EXTREMELY BUSY, BUT HE WILL SLOWLY BE INCORPORATED OR THE TWO ARE SLOWLY BEING PUT BACK TOGETHER.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
>> SORRY, MADAM MAYOR. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEAN, THAT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS.
I THINK YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER ON WHO AN INDIVIDUAL REPORTS TO.
YOU CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE REPORT TO NO ONE.
YOU CAN'T HAVE THEM REPORT TO MULTIPLE PEOPLE.
THERE NEED TO BE CLEAR LINES OF AUTHORITY AND CHAIN OF COMMAND.
>> AT THIS POINT IN TIME THE CHIEF OF POLICE REPORTS TO ME.
>> IS THAT WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO TAKE PLACE UNDER OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT, THAT THE CITY POLICE CHIEF REPORTS TO THE MAYOR RATHER THAN THE CITY MANAGER?
>> WE DON'T HAVE A CITY MANAGER, WE HAVE A CITY ADMINISTRATOR.
>> EXCUSE ME, CITY ADMINISTRATOR.
>> ALL PERSONNEL IS UNDER THE MAYOR AND I DESIGNATE SOME REPORT TO LUKE, SOME MAY REPORT TO OTHER.
>> MY I REQUEST CLARIFICATION FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY?
>> I'M SORRY. I LOOKED AT THAT, I DON'T RECALL IT, I DON'T HAVE THE PREVIOUS ORDINANCE, BUT THE PREVIOUS ORDINANCE WHEN THIS IS RESCINDED WOULD BE IN EFFECT.
WHATEVER THAT SAYS IS THE STATE OF LAW.
>> GOOD. IF YOU WOULD LIKE, WE CAN COME BACK TO THAT THAT PORTION OF IT IN THE FOLLOWING WEEK OR NEXT MEETING.
[01:25:01]
>> THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE. WE CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE ACTION ON THIS AGENDA ITEM AS IT'S STATED.
BUT THEN IF WE COULD ASK FOR FUTURE CLARIFICATION IN TERMS OF WHAT THE UNDERLYING PREVAILING ORDINANCE WOULD STATE SUCH THAT IT'S VERY CLEAR TO THE REPORTING STRUCTURE.
>> I WOULD ASSUME WE HAVE AN ORG CHART SOMEWHERE THAT WOULD SAY POLICE CHIEF REPORTS TO LUKE AND LUKE REPORTS TO YOU OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.
>> WELL, AT THIS TIME, THE POLICE CHIEF REPORTS TO ME AND PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE LUKE WASN'T TOO BUSY WITH HIS OTHER DUTIES TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
KEEP IN MIND, WE LOST OUR POLICE CHIEF.
KENNY CAME IN AND WE'VE BEEN REDOING EVERYTHING, AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT ALL DONE.
IT WOULDN'T BE FAIR TO EITHER OF THEM WHO ARE BOTH FAIRLY OVERLOADED TO DO IT THAT WAY.
THIS IS WHAT WE DID IN THE MEANTIME, AND WE'RE RESENDING THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, AND WE ARE SLOWLY PUTTING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BACK UNDER LUKE AS HE GETS MORE TIME SO HE CAN DEAL WITH IT.
BUT IT WOULD BE VERY UNFAIR TO LUKE AT THIS POINT IN TIME TO ADD THAT TO HIM WHEN HE'S GOT SO MANY PROJECTS THAT ARE HANGING THAT NEED TO GET FINISHED.
>> HAS THIS COMMITTEE BEEN FUNCTIONING, THIS THREE PERSON COMMITTEE?
>> HAS THE THREE PERSON COMMITTEE THAT THIS ORDINANCE IS DOING AWAY WITH, HAS IT BEEN FUNCTIONING?
>> IT STARTED OUT WITH BEING MYSELF, MICHAEL SLAUGHTER, AND DIANA ABRAHAM.
ALL OF US HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT BACKGROUNDS.
WELL, THEN WE LOST DIANA, THEN WE LOST MICHAEL.
THE ORDINANCE READ MAYOR AND MAYOR PRO TEM.
JIM REED AND I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS.
THERE HAS NOT BEEN A THIRD PERSON.
>> JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THE ORDINANCE READ, THE MAYOR AND MAYOR PRO TEM AND ONE COUNCILMEMBER.
THAT'S THE ACCURATE. THAT'S WHAT IT READS.
THAT'S THE ORDINANCE WE TALKING ABOUT ON THIS AGENDA ITEM.
>> THAT'S CORRECT. I NEVER READ A PERSON'S NAME? IT NEVER READ A PERSON'S NAME, IT READ THE POSITIONS.
>> THEN ALSO FOR CLARIFICATION, AN AGENDA ITEM HAD COME UP SEVERAL COUNCIL MEETINGS AGO PRIOR TO YOUR ELECTION THAT POSTED AGENDA ITEM TO PROPOSE TO REMOVE THE COUNCILMEMBER OFF THE COMMITTEE AND MAKE THE COMMITTEE A TWO PERSON COMMITTEE WHERE PRIOR TO THAT, IT WAS DEFINED TO BE A THREE PERSON COMMITTEE.
THAT AGENDA ITEM GOT POSTPONED UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION, WHICH IS NOW ON THE AGENDA TODAY, AND THE NEW AGENDA ITEM IS PROPOSING TO DISSOLVE THE COMMITTEE ALTOGETHER.
>> WHO PROPOSED THIS AGENDA ITEM BECAUSE THE FIRST I EVER SAW OR HEARD OF IT WAS WHEN WE GOT THE AGENDA ON FRIDAY? WHAT'S THE BACKGROUND AND WHO PROPOSED IT SPECIFICALLY?
>> SURE. MYSELF AND TERRY LYNCH, WERE PROPONENTS TO DISSOLVE THE COMMITTEE VERSUS CHANGE THE COMMITTEE FROM THREE PERSONS TO TWO.
>> IT WAS A RECOMMENDED FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, I BELIEVE FROM SOMETIME IN MARCH OR APRIL.
>> I ALSO ASKED FOR IT TOO ALONG WITH COUNCILWOMAN NOE.
>> WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS JUST HAVING DISCUSSION TO CLARIFY THE NET RESULT OF DISSOLVING THE COMMITTEE IN TERMS OF WHAT THE REPORTING STRUCTURE LOOKS LIKE AFTER WE DISSOLVE THE COMMITTEE. THANKS.
>> ONE OTHER FACT THAT I JUST WANTED TO THROW IN THE WHOLE FOLD OF THE THING IS THAT ONE OF THE REASONS, I THINK FOR THE MAYBE PATH FORWARD TO WANT TO DISSOLVE IT WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS A BELIEF THAT BECAUSE NOT ALL OF THE COUNCIL WAS INFORMED ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON, THAT IT WANTED TO BE SOMETHING THAT WAS BEHIND THE SCENES, THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON, NOT WITHOUT THE REST OF THE COUNCIL AT LEAST BEING AWARE IN SOME REGARDS.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE AREAS THERE.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR HAVING A MEETING ON A REGULAR BASIS QUARTERLY TO JUST, FIRST OF ALL, IT COULD BE IN A COUNCIL MEETING WHERE ALL THE COUNCIL GETS UPDATED AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC ON WHAT'S GOING ON, AND I KNOW, KENNY IS HAPPY TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AT ANY RATE, THAT'S WHY I WOULD PROPOSE THAT BECAUSE IN THAT WAY, THE FUNCTION OF THE COUNCIL OR THE COMMITTEE ITSELF, BECAUSE WE HAVE A POLICE CHIEF NOW, AND THEN HE CAN UPDATE US ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
>> THE ONLY THING I'M NOT REALLY SURE OF IS WHAT WE'RE GOING BACK TO.
THE POINT THAT COUNCILWOMAN NOE BROUGHT UP A MINUTE AGO.
[01:30:03]
WHAT SPECIFICALLY WAS THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE BEFORE AND IS THAT WHAT WE'RE REVERTING BACK TO OR WE'RE REVERTING BACK TO SOMETHING ELSE? I GUESS I WOULD PROBABLY LIKE SOME CLARIFICATION FROM KATHERINE ABOUT WHAT IS THE LEGAL ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE FOR OUR CITY GOVERNMENT IN TERMS OF REPORTING?>> WELL, IN TERMS OF WHAT'S IN STATUTE HAS BEEN MODIFIED BY ORDINANCES.
IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE RELATED TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ORIGINALLY, THERE WAS ORDINANCE, I THINK IT'S 498 THAT WAS ADOPTED, AND THEN THAT WAS AMENDED BY 770, AND THEN IT WAS AMENDED AGAIN BY 832
>> WHICHEVER ONE WE'RE JUST REPEALING.
WHICHEVER ONE YOU'RE IN THE PROCESS OF, 832.
>> WITH 832 GONE, THE 498 THAT WAS AMENDED BY 770 IS IN PLACE.
I THINK TO YOUR POINT, IT SAYS THE DIRECTOR OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SHALL BE THE CHIEF OF POLICE.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SHALL BE COMPOSED OF A CHIEF OF POLICE AND SUCH OTHER OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES AS THE CITY COUNCIL MAY PROVIDE.
THE CHIEF OF POLICE SHALL HAVE IMMEDIATE DIRECTION AND CONTROL OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SUBJECT TO THE SUPERVISION OF THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR, AND ALSO SUBJECT TO SUCH RULES, REGULATIONS, AND ORDERS AS THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR AND OR THE CITY COUNCIL MAY PRESCRIBE, NOT INCONSISTENT WITH THE ORDINANCES OF THE CITY.
>> BUT YOU JUST READ THE PART THAT DEALS WITH THE REPORTER STRUCTURE, AND IT SAYS THE CHIEF OF POLICE REPORTS TO THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
THERE'S NO REFERENCE TO THE MAYOR, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> NOT IN WHAT NOT IN THAT SECTION, NO.
>> THAT IS OUR RULES AND REGULATIONS, CORRECT? PRIOR TO THIS?
>> CORRECT. THAT'S WHAT GOES BACK INTO EFFECT WHEN 832 IS RESCINDED.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
>> NOW ONE QUESTION I HAD JUST FOR CLARIFICATION FOR ME BECAUSE I HAVEN'T READ THROUGH THAT WHOLE THING IS THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WAS SOME OTHER WORDS IN THERE THAT WERE A LITTLE BIT LOOSE, MAYBE, WHERE IT SAID THAT AS THIS AND AS THAT. READ THAT AGAIN.
>> WHILE YOU'RE READING THAT, WILL YOU ALSO READ THE PART THAT SAYS AND CITY COUNCIL.
>> THE CHIEF OF POLICE SHALL HAVE IMMEDIATE DIRECTION AND CONTROL OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SUBJECT TO THE SUPERVISION OF THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR, AND ALSO SUBJECT TO SUCH RULES, REGULATIONS, AND ORDERS AS THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR AND OR THE CITY COUNCIL MAY PRESCRIBE, NOT INCONSISTENT WITH THE ORDINANCES OF THE CITY.
>> THAT TO MY UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU JUST READ IS THE REPORTING STRUCTURE IS TO THE CITY MANAGER AND THE POLICE CHIEF IS ALSO ACCOUNTABLE FOR FOLLOWING THE RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT ARE SET UP BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
HE DOESN'T ANSWER TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND THAT'S CONSISTENT.
THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. A PERSON CAN'T REALLY EFFECTIVELY ANSWER TO A GROUP OR MULTIPLE PEOPLE.
HE ANSWERS TO THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR AND ABIDES BY WHATEVER RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL PASSES.
IS THAT THE CORRECT INTERPRETATION OF THAT?
>> I'M FINE WITH GOING BACK TO THAT.
IT JUST PUTS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON LUKE BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL WANT.
>> THAT'S WHAT OUR ORDINANCE IS SAYING.
>> IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S THE DUTIES OF LUKE UNLESS LUKE SPEAKS UP AND SAYS, IT'S SOMETHING HE CAN'T HANDLE.
>> I THINK KENNY AND I CAN HANDLE IT TOGETHER.
>> WE'LL HAVE A STANDOFF AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
>> YOU HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND, CORRECT?
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, I WILL CALL FOR YOUR VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF RESCINDING PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ORDINANCE NUMBER 835, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND? ANY OPPOSED? NO. GOOD. MOTION PASSES FIVE, ZERO.
[6. CONSIDERATION AND ANY APPROPRIATE ACTION ON AN ORDINANCE NO. 870 OF THE CITY OF PARKER, COLLIN COUNTY, TEXAS AUTHORIZING THE APPROVAL OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PARKER AND MESSER FORT, PLLC; PROVIDING FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS THEREFOR; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.]
CONSIDERATION AND OR ANY APPROPRIATE ACTION ON ORDINANCE NUMBER 870 OF THE CITY OF PARKER, COLLIN COUNTY, TEXAS, AUTHORIZING THE APPROVAL OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PARKER AND MESSER FORT PLLC, PROVIDING FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS, THEREFORE, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.[01:35:02]
THIS IS FOR APRIL 2ND.HAVE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH MESSER FORT TO INTERVENE IN THE GRAND PRAIRIE CASE.
>> MADAM MAYOR I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
>> MADAM MAYOR I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 870 FOR THE CITY OF PARKER, TEXAS, AUTHORIZING APPROVAL OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PARKER AND MESSER FORT, PROVIDING FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS THEREFORE AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER NOE AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER FECHT TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 870.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
WHAT ACTIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAKEN BY MESSER FORT TO INTERVENE IN THAT LAWSUIT?
>> TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE'S NOT ANYTHING THAT'S BEEN DONE TO INTERVENE AT THIS POINT.
THEY WERE WAITING ON THE ENGAGEMENT LETTER BASED ON PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS WHILE THE COUNCIL VOTED PREVIOUSLY COMING OUT OF CLOSED SESSION TO INTERVENE IN IT.
THE INTEREST OF THE COUNCIL SEEMED TO BE THAT THEY WANTED TO SEE THIS IN A PUBLIC MEETING.
WE BROUGHT THIS BACK HERE, SO YOU ALL COULD ALSO SET AN AMOUNT ON IT, AT THE SAME TIME FOR EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS.
>> HAVE WE MISSED ANY DEADLINES OR WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVENE IN THAT?
>> HAS ANYTHING BEEN DONE TO FILE AN INJUNCTION AGAINST RESTORE THE GRASSLANDS TO STOP THEM IN THEIR PLANS TO EXIT THE ETJ?
>> NO. THAT WASN'T PART OF IT.
>> HAS MR. FORT MADE ANY RECOMMENDATION TO US TO DO THAT?
>> I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, WHICH IS THE INTERVENTION.
WE'LL BE HAPPY TO GET THAT INFORMATION, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION? THEN I'LL CALL FOR YOUR VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ORDINANCE NUMBER 870? PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES FIVE, ZERO. ITEM NUMBER 7.
>> MADAM MAYOR, MAY I ASK A QUESTION REGARDING THE CARRYING OUT OF THAT ONE THAT WE JUST VOTED ON? THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT WHO SHOULD SIGN THAT.
IT ORIGINALLY HAD, I BELIEVE YOUR SIGNATURE.
KATHERINE, IS THAT RIGHT AND YOU CHANGED IT TO THE MAYOR SIGNATURE FOR SIGNING THE RETAINER AGREEMENT?
>> THE RETENTION AGREEMENT WITH MESSER FORT.
WHO IS SUPPOSED TO SIGN THOSE AGREEMENTS? ARE THOSE SUPPOSED TO BE SIGNED BY AN INDIVIDUAL OR BY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS?
>> AS A MATTER OF PRACTICE, IN MOST CITIES, IT'S THE CITY ATTORNEY.
THE CITY ATTORNEY IS NORMALLY CHARGED WITH HIRING OUTSIDE COUNCIL, AND SO NORMALLY THEY'RE THE ONES THAT SIGN IT.
THAT'S WHY THEY PREPARED THE LETTER THAT WAY, THE ENGAGEMENT LETTER TO SEND TO ME.
THE CUSTOM AND PRACTICE IN THE CITY OF PARKER HAS BEEN THAT THE MAYOR SIGNS IT.
[7. CONSIDERATION AND ANY APPROPRIATE ACTION CONCERNING RESOLUTION NO. 2024-802 UPDATING THE FY 2023-2024 - FY 28-29 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AS ATTACHED HERETO AS EXHIBIT "A" AND INCORPORATING EXHIBIT “B”.]
CONSIDERATION AND OR ANY APPROPRIATE ACTION CONCERNING RESOLUTION NUMBER 2024-802, UPDATING THE FY 2023-2024-FY '28, '29 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AS ATTACHED HERE TO AS EXHIBIT A AND EXHIBIT B. I BELIEVE THERE WAS AN UPDATED INFORMATION AT YOUR SEAT WHEN YOU CAME IN THIS EVENING ON THIS?>> WHAT'S IN THE PACKET, THERE WAS A REFERENCE TO AN EXHIBIT B, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING NOW THAT EXHIBIT B WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE PART OF EXHIBIT A, SO THAT LANGUAGE WAS CHANGED.
AS WE ARE UPDATING THE CIP PROGRAM PLAN HERE TO INCLUDE THE INFORMATION THAT CAME IN DURING THE TOWN HALL,
[01:40:04]
WHETHER IT WAS SENT IN, OR WHETHER THE PERSON CAME AND GAVE IT TO US IN PERSON, WE INCORPORATED THAT INFORMATION IN HERE.I HAD A QUESTION ON WHETHER WE SHOULD CHANGE THE DATE TO REFLECT JULY 2ND AS OPPOSED TO APRIL 23RD.
>> YES. THAT'S CORRECT. I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH KATHERINE BEFORE THE MEETING, AND THAT WAS GOING TO BE OUR DIRECTION.
>> IN FACT, COUNCILMAN KERCHO AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT IT, SO WHAT YOU WANT YOU JUST GO AHEAD AND PUT THE PROPOSAL THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THAT WOULD MAKE IT MORE CLEAR SINCE YOU HAVEN'T WRITTEN DOWN THERE NOW.
>> FIRST, FROM A REVIEW PERSPECTIVE, WE ADOPTED THIS PLAN ON APRIL 23RD OF THIS YEAR.
BASICALLY, AT THE TIME WE ADOPTED IT, WE KNEW THAT THERE'S A FEW NUMBER PROBLEMS WITHIN IT, NUMBER OF PROBLEMS BEING THAT SOME OF THE SCHEDULES DIDN'T AGREE WITH EACH OTHER.
WE RECOGNIZED THAT THAT WAS AN ERROR, AND ACTUALLY, I THINK, INCLUDED WITH THE APPROVAL A SHEET THAT INDICATED WHAT CHANGES NEEDED TO TAKE PLACE WITHIN THOSE NUMBERS FOR THEM TO TIE OUT.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, THOSE CHANGES HAVE BEEN INTEGRATED INTO THE PLAN.
SECONDLY, AS WE WENT THROUGH TOWN HALL, THERE'S SEVERAL COMMENTS THAT OBVIOUSLY THE PEOPLE LIKED THE PLAN, LIKED THE TRANSPARENCY OF IT, BUT DIDN'T FEEL THERE'S A SUMMARY AT THE END THAT WRAP THE THING UP IN TERMS OF WHERE WE STOOD IN TERMS OF TOTAL PROJECTS VERSUS WHAT MAYBE OVER THE SIX YEAR PERIOD, WE WERE SHOWING THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A CASH COMING IN.
WE HAD A SECTION IN THERE THAT ACTUALLY WAS CALLED, I THINK, PROJECT NEEDS OR CASH NEEDS OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, BUT IT WASN'T CLEAR, AND THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A SUMMARY TO BRING IT TOGETHER I WENT THROUGH AND MADE A COUPLE OF CHANGES.
THOSE CHANGES ARE ON PAGE 26 AND 27, IF YOU COULD GO THERE AND LOOK.
IT'S PAGES 67 AND 68 OF THE PACKAGE. THERE'S A COUPLE OF PLACES.
NOW, AS WE WENT THROUGH THE CIP, THERE'S A FEW AREAS WITHIN THAT WE START TALKING ABOUT ON PROJECTS OR PROPOSALS, AND AS WE TALKED ABOUT IT, THERE'S JUST WE COULDN'T COME UP WITH A NUMBER.
THE NUMBERS COULD BE ZERO OR A LARGE NUMBER.
AS WE WENT THROUGH IT, WE JUST FELT THAT WE COULDN'T RIGHTFULLY PUT A NUMBER THAT WE COULD FEEL GOOD ABOUT STANDING BEHIND WITHIN THE DOCUMENT.
WE JUST LEFT IT AS A TO BE DETERMINED.
BUT OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME RANGE OF WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE, BUT WE DIDN'T FEEL IT WAS A NARROW RANGE TO PUT A NUMBER IN THERE. WE DIDN'T.
I PUT IN WITHIN HERE A COUPLE ASTERISKS ON THIS PAGE, AND I BELIEVE THE NEXT PAGE, WHICH BASICALLY JUST HIGHLIGHTS AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE TABLE, THE ITEMS THAT WE BASICALLY DID NOT PUT A NUMBER NEXT TO.
AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT, YOU SAY, OKAY, THAT'S THE NUMBER, BUT IT EXCLUDES THESE PARTICULAR ITEMS. THEN FINALLY, AFTER THE CAPITAL PLANNING CYCLE, I BELIEVE THERE'S A BIG SECTION.
THERE'S THE SUMMARY AS THAT GETS PUT TOGETHER.
NOW, AS YOU GO THROUGH AND SAY, WHAT ARE THE ITEMS THAT WE EXCLUDED? WE EXCLUDED THE POLICE OR ADMINISTRATIVE FACILITIES, WE EXCLUDED, FOR THE MOST PART, A LOT OF DRAINAGE ISSUES, WHETHER THAT BE GENERAL IN NATURE, OR REALLY ASSOCIATED WITH STREET REPAIRS.
WE DIDN'T PUT ANYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH POTENTIALLY CONNECTING TO THE DALLAS HEAT PUMP STATION THAT COULD BE OUT THERE WITH NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT.
WE ALSO DIDN'T PUT IN ANY CONTINGENCY OVERRUNS OR EMERGENCY THINGS.
OBVIOUSLY, OVER THE SIX YEARS, OTHER THINGS ARE GOING TO COME UP THAT WE COULDN'T EVEN HAVE IDENTIFIED AS WE CAME UP WITH A CIP.
THIS IS BASICALLY TRYING TO CREATE THAT SUMMARY.
IT BASICALLY GOES IN AND SAYS, AS WE GO THROUGH IT, THERE'S $32 MILLION OUT THERE IN PROJECTS OR PROPOSALS, AND OFF THAT, AGAIN, WE COULDN'T PUT A NUMBER ON IT, SO I JUST PUT IN THERE COULD CONCEIVABLY AMOUNT TO 15 MILLION PLUS ON ALL THE REST OF THAT.
IT COULD BE LESS THAN THAT, IT COULD BE FAR MORE THAN THAT.
I JUST PLUGGED THE NUMBER IN FOR THE SAKE OF GETTING SOMETHING IN THERE.
FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, YOU WIND UP WITH
[01:45:01]
47 MILLION POTENTIALLY IN TERMS OF OVERALL PROJECTS OR PROPOSALS.IF YOU GO THROUGH ALL THE NUMBERS IN THERE AS FAR AS WHAT WE HAVE SHORTLY COMING IN, WE COULD HAVE A POTENTIAL SHORTFALL.
IF YOU DID EVERYTHING AND ALL THOSE NUMBERS TURNED OUT TO BE COMPLETELY ACCURATE, YOU COULD WIND UP WITH A SHORTFALL OF 27 MILLION.
IT'S SAYING AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGETING PROCESS, IT'S ALL NUMBERS OUT THERE AND IT'S A WHO KNOWS TYPE OF SITUATION.
IT'S ONLY OUT THERE TO SAY THAT THERE'S A NUMBER OF ITEMS OUT THERE BOTH BUDGETED AND ALREADY PROPOSED.
WE DO HAVE A SHORTFALL IF WE DON'T GO FIND SOME OTHER TYPES OF FINANCING.
AS WE LOOK AT IT IN TERMS OF THE BUDGETING PROCESS, AS WE GO THROUGH THE CIP, WE HAVE TO JUST DO IT WITH AN OPEN EYES TO KNOW THAT THERE IS A SHORTFALL IF WE TRIED TO DO EVERYTHING.
>> IN JUST ONE COMMENT, WHICH IS OBVIOUS, BASED ON WHAT RANDY HAS GONE THROUGH IS THAT THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANTED TO DO, IS WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THESE THINGS ARE OUT THERE.
THERE ARE POSSIBLE SCENARIOS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS IT.
IF WE DON'T ADDRESS IT, THAT'S FINE, BUT AT LEAST WE'RE PUTTING IT OUT THERE AS POSSIBLE ITEMS WE HAVE TO ADDRESS.
THERE'S NOTHING IN THIS THAT SAYS WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE ANY OF THESE, BUT WE JUST WANT TO PUT IT OUT THERE.
AS WE GO THROUGH OUR ANNUAL BUDGETS IN THESE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WE HAVE THIS OVERALL 10,000 FOOT VIEW OF WHAT WE THINK COULD BE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS.
I THINK THAT DOES THAT PRETTY NICELY.
>> JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THIS HAS BEEN OVER SIX YEARS IN THE WORK, AND SOMEBODY SITTING OUT THERE WORKED ON IT REALLY HARD, TREY.
>> SHE DID. WELL, IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS, I WOULD ACCEPT A MOTION.
>> MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2024-802, UPDATING FISCAL YEAR 2023-2029 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN ATTACHED HERE TO AS EXHIBIT A WITH TWO EXCEPTIONS; ONE ON THE INITIAL PAGE IN EACH OF THE FOOTERS, UPDATING IT FOR THE DATE.
WE WILL SHOW THE ADOPTION DATE, AND WE WILL SHOW A REVISION DATE.
AS WELL AS REMOVING THE YELLOW HIGHLIGHTS BECAUSE IT WAS ONLY FOR US TO IDENTIFY WHAT WAS CHANGED.
>> MADAM MAYOR, I SECOND THE MOTION.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER KERCHO AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER NOE TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 2024-802.
A FURTHER DISCUSSION AT ALL? NOT HEARING ANY, I'LL CALL FOR YOUR VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
[8. NCORPORATING EXHIBIT “B”. 8. DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION TO CITY STAFF TO AMEND ORDINANCE NO. 750 (AMENDING NUISANCE ORDINANCE [553]).]
DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION TO CITY STAFF TO AMEND ORDINANCE NUMBER 750, AMENDING THE NUISANCE ORDINANCE.COUNCIL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SEE IF COUNCIL IS INTERESTED IN REVIEWING, UPDATING, REVISING THE ORDINANCE, BECAUSE IF THERE'S NO INTEREST IN DOING THAT, THAT ENDS OUR DISCUSSION RIGHT HERE.
>> I CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE INTEREST.
>> I SAID, I CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE INTEREST.
>> MADAM MAYOR, I HAVE INTEREST AS WELL.
>> THEN, HOW DO YOU WISH TO MOVE FORWARD? DO YOU WISH TO TRY TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING TONIGHT? DO YOU WISH TO TRY TO HAVE A COMMITTEE? DO YOU WISH TO HAVE THE POLICE LOOK AT WHAT'S AVAILABLE? HOW DO YOU WANT TO GO?
>> ARE YOU USING THE TERM NUISANCE ORDINANCE IN A BROADER THAN JUST NOISE, OR ARE THERE OTHER MATTERS OTHER THAN NOISE OR IT'S JUST NOISE?
>> IT WOULD JUST BE THE NOISE.
>> IT WOULD JUST BE THE NOISE.
>> IT WOULD BE THE NOISE FOR CONCERTS ONLY, CORRECT?
IT WOULD BE DECIBEL LEVELS THAT ARE LAID OUT WITHIN COORDINATE 750.
>> WELL, IS THERE OTHER METHODS TO MEASURE BESIDES DECIBEL? I DON'T KNOW IF NEW TECHNOLOGY HAS COME UP.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM REED, YOU'RE ON TOP OF THIS.
>> THIS IS AN AREA I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF EXPERIENCE IN AND SOME OF MY OTHER THINGS THAT I LIKE TO DO.
[01:50:02]
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP BY MR. BARN, I THINK ARE APPROPRIATE IN THAT IT'S NOT ONLY THE LEVEL, BUT IT'S THE FREQUENCY THAT HAS AN ISSUE.ESPECIALLY LOWER FREQUENCY, IT'S A LONGER WAVE LENGTH.
IT'S NOT THAT IT NECESSARILY IS LOUDER, IT JUST CARRIES MORE BECAUSE IT'S A LONGER WAVE LENGTH THAN A SHORTER WAVE LENGTH IN THE MID AND HIGH.
THE THING THAT I THINK WILL BE INTERESTING THAT WE HAVE TO GO DO IS THAT NUMBER 1, WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY THAT'S GOING TO BE EASILY ATTAINABLE BY ANYBODY TO MEASURE BECAUSE IF WE DO A UNIQUE WAY OF MEASURING, AND THEN WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS PART OF THE PROBABLY A PRETTY BIG MONEY OPERATION TO GO AHEAD AND FUND THIS BIG CONCERT THAT THEY'RE PUTTING TOGETHER OUT THERE, THEY MAY COME WITH ANOTHER MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUE.
WE NEED TO BE A LITTLE NOVEL ON HOW WE DO IT SO THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT'S EASY.
THE SECOND THING THAT IS GOING TO BE A FACTOR IN THIS IS THAT THESE CONCERTS, THEY HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE PROMOTING IT, THEY HAVE THE BANDS THAT ARE THERE, THEY HAVE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY DOING AND MAKING THE SOUND OR THE SOUND COMPANIES.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE SOMEHOW A METHOD 2 BECAUSE THE BOTTOM LINE IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE WANT TO LIMIT THIS SO THAT THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE THE PROBLEMS THAT ROXANNE WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, AND BILLY.
THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SHUT THEM DOWN IF THEY DON'T DO IT.
THE PROBLEM IS GETTING TO THE SOUND GUIDE TO ACTUALLY GET TO TURN A KNOB OR NOT HAVE IT THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SOMEHOW WITHIN THIS ORDINANCE, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH TEETH IN IT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T VIOLATE IT.
THAT'S THE BIG THING. IS IT BIG FINES OR WHAT DO YOU DO?
>> COUNCIL, COULD WE JUST LEAVE THE NOISE ORDINANCE ALONE AND COME UP WITH A NEW ONE FOR CONCERT SPECIFICALLY, SOUTH FORK SPECIFICALLY AND DEAL WITH TIME FRAMES OF IT'S GOT TO BE DONE BY MIDNIGHT OR WHATEVER A REASONABLE TIME IS?
>> I THINK MAKING SOMETHING THAT'S NARROWLY CRAFTED MIGHT BE PROBLEMATIC.
>> I THINK COMING UP WITH SOMETHING THAT NARROWLY CRAFTED MIGHT BE PROBLEMATIC, WHERE YOU'RE ISOLATING ONE SPECIFIC ENTITY.
>> TAKE SOUTH FORK OUT OF IT AND TO SAY CONCERTS IN GENERAL.
>> HOW ABOUT SPECIAL ACTIVITY DISTRICTS?
>> WELL, FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING, I THINK WE HAVE MORE THAN A PROBLEM JUST AT SOUTH FORK.
THIS MAY AFFECT YOU EVEN MAYOR PETTLE BECAUSE OF WHERE YOU LIVE, BUT I'VE HEARD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE SAY THAT WE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE WITH CROSS CREEK, AND IT'S NOT THE SAME FACILITY AS SOUTH FORK, BUT CROSS CREEK IS ON DUBLIN ROAD, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH WHERE IT IS.
IT'S ACROSS FROM RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM WHERE MAYOR PETTLE LIVES.
IT'S ACROSS THE STREET FROM WHERE THE LANES LIVE, AND I KNOW PEOPLE THAT LIVE WELL INTO INTO DUBLIN CREEK, WHICH IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD I LIVE IN THAT THEY SAID THEY'VE HEARD IT.
RICK DEBUS IN PARTICULAR, HAS CONTACTED ME AND ASKED THAT WE LOOK AT NOISE ORDINANCES THAT WOULD HELP QUIETEN THINGS DOWN OVER THERE BECAUSE HE SAID THEY HAVE PROBLEMS AT CROSS CREEK WELL INTO TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING SOMETIMES.
HE LIVES ON THE CORNER OF DUBLIN ROAD AND DUBLIN CREEK, DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM CROSS CREEK.
I LIVE DOWN ON BLUFFS LANE AT THE END.
I'VE NEVER HEARD IT, BUT I LIVE A MILE FROM THERE.
>> MADAM MAYOR, WHAT DID YOU SAY?
>> WHAT DID YOU SAY BEFORE COUNCILMAN PILGRIM STARTED TALKING? YOU SAID SOMETHING EVENTS OR SOMETHING.
>> THE SOUTH PARK IS ZONED IN A SPECIAL ACTIVITY DISTRICT WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM ANY PLACE ELSE IN PARKER.
WHEN YOU WERE ASKING IF WE COULD DO SOMETHING FOR SOUTH PARK, THAT COULD DISCRIMINATORY.
BUT IF WE DO IT, I WAS GOING TO ASK KATHERINE FOR A SPECIAL ACTIVITY DISTRICT, A ZONING.
WOULD THAT BE VIEWED DIFFERENTLY?
>> IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD HAVE TO RESEARCH THE OTHER.
BUT IN THAT SAME MINDSET, IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT MAY BE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR IF IT'S IN WITHIN A CERTAIN PROXIMITY OF RESIDENCES.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TO CRAFT THAT, POTENTIALLY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING I WOULD HAVE TO DO SOME RESEARCH.
>> I AGREE. I THINK IT'S VERY DOABLE.
>> JUST SPEAKING OUT LOUD, YOU'RE RIGHT.
I NEVER WOULD DO THIS, BUT IF I WANTED TO, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN SPRING HILL, AND I TOOK MY PA SYSTEM FROM MY BAND THAT HAS REALLY BIG SUBWOOFERS AND I WANT TO PUT THEM OUT THERE AND JAM, THAT IT WOULD BE A PRIVATE EVENT, BUT I GUARANTEE YOU'D HEAR IT HERE.
THE THING THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, IN MY OPINION IS THAT IT MEANS TO ME FOR ALL EVENTS LIKE THAT.
MY PERSONAL OPINION IS THAT, AND THIS GOES WITH A LOT OF OTHER SEASON, LIKE I SAY, I PLAY IN A BAND, SO I DEAL WITH THIS ALL THE TIME.
I THINK UP TILL TEN O'CLOCK, YOU GOT TO LET PEOPLE HAVE FUN. YOU GOT TO DEAL WITH THAT.
IF YOU'RE TRYING TO WATCH SOMETHING, IT'S RIDICULOUS IF YOU'RE LISTENING TO
[01:55:03]
WORLD WAR II BOMBS AND AIRCRAFT FLYING AROUND AND YOU STILL HEAR IT.BUT YOU MAY HEAR SOME OF THAT BOOMING BECAUSE THAT LOW FREQUENCY IS DIFFICULT UNLESS YOU HAVE REALLY GOOD SOUND PROOFING.
BUT AFTER TEN O' CLOCK, ALL BATS ARE OFF.
CLUBS THAT STAY OPEN UNTIL ONE AND TWO O'CLOCK AND THAT THING OR IF IT IS AN EVENT THAT GOES FOR A LONG TIME, YOU NEED TO REALIZE IF THEY'RE GOING TO COME TO PARKER AND DO SOMETHING OUTSIDE, THEY BETTER MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE WITH THEIR ORDINANCE.
I THINK LIKE I SAID, SOMEHOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE TEETH IN IT THAT HAS BIG FINES IN IT OR SOMETHING BECAUSE OTHERWISE, THEY'RE GOING TO THUMB THE NOISE OUT.
IF IT'S $1,000 OR A COUPLE $1,000, THEY'LL THUMB THEIR NOISE OUT AND THEN JUST DO IT AND IT WON'T MATTER.
>> I THINK WE DO A COMMITTEE AND I'LL SERVE ON IT.
>> CHIEF PRICE, DO YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION? YOU DEAL WITH THIS AND YOUR PEOPLE.
>> WELL, WE MEASURE USING THE DEVICE IN THE AMC CHANNELS AND BILLION IN PROXIMITY CORRECT.
[INAUDIBLE] THE BASE OF IT BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT DEVICE.
WE WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE THAT AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT COSTS.
>> THE QUESTION IS THAT, I'M ALL FOR THAT.
SORRY, IT SOUNDS LIKE I'M BREAKING UP.
WOULD IT BE A PROBLEM AS FAR AS UNIVERSAL ORDINANCE MATCHING SO THAT IF THE SOUND GUY SAYS, " HEY, THAT'S BS.
NOBODY DOES Z RATING AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH." WOULD WE GET INTO A PROBLEM LIKE THAT OR IS IT CAN YOU JUST PUT IN WHATEVER YOU WANT AND HAVE THEM ADHERE TO IT? BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD BE AFRAID OF IS THAT THEY WOULD SAY, HEY, EVERY CITY IN NORTH TEXAS HERE GOES BY THIS AND WHY IS IT THAT WE HAVE TO ADHERE TO THAT?
>> IF WE COULD DO THAT, THEN THAT'S FINE. I'M FINE WITH THAT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T GET IT INTO A CONTEST, WE'RE SAYING THAT, HEY, IT'S THE WRONG RATING.
>> I KNOW YOU SAID YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE COST IS, BUT ARE YOU TALKING HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OR TENS OF THOUSANDS?
>> I WOULDN'T EVEN [INAUDIBLE].
I DON'T KNOW. IT'S PROBABLY IN THE HUNDREDS.
>> THEN THAT'S AN IRRELEVANT AMOUNT.
IF IT'S WHAT WE NEED TO KEEP OUR CITIZENS, WHERE THEY CAN SLEEP AT NIGHT, WE NEED TO CREATE THE REGULATION AND THEN SPEND THE MONEY TO MEASURE IT.
>> AS I WAS READING THE ORDINANCE, IT GOES BACK AND MAYBE, KATHERINE, DID YOU READ THROUGH THAT ORDINANCE AS WELL?
>> I DON'T KNOW. I THINK [INAUDIBLE].
>> AS I READ THROUGH IT, IT BASICALLY STARTED GOING INTO THE DECIBELS BY SEVERAL INCREMENTS OF HOURS.
IT WENT THROUGH A LOT AND THEN IT SAID, BUT A VALID DEFENSE IS IF YOU ALREADY HAVE, ONE, YOU COULD PERMIT FOR BASICALLY AN OVERAGE OF THAT NOISE ORDINANCE.
IT ALSO SAID, SOMETHING TO ME AS I STARTED READING IT, IT WAS LIKE, SOUTH FORK IS BUILT INTO THIS THING THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE A SPECIAL ACTIVITY PERMIT, AND THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO PERMIT THAT PARTICULAR NOISE ORDINANCE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR IT GOES BACK AND IT WAS CONFUSING WORDING, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING AS WE GO THROUGH IT, WE CERTAINLY NEED TO LOOK AT.
THERE'S A LOT. THERE'S ORDINANCES THAT MR. BARN AND OTHERS HAVE PUT TOGETHER, TALKED ABOUT FROM 10 O'CLOCK FURTHER.
QUESTION IS, DO WE HAVE IT EARLIER AS WELL? WHETHER IT'S A AND., A IS FROM WHAT RESEARCH I DID, A IS GENERAL NOISE.
IF SOMEONE'S HAVING A PARTY, ET CETERA, A MIGHT BE THE DIRECTION.
IF SOMEONE IS HAVING A CONCERT, C OR Z MIGHT BE IT.
IN FACT, AS I READ IT, C, THEY SAID WAS REALLY FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY AND DID MEASURE BASE MORE SPECIFICALLY.
THERE'S A LOT, I THINK THAT'S GOT TO BE STUDIED THROUGH THE DEAL AND A LOT AS FAR AS HOW WE'RE GOING TO LAY OUT AN ORDINANCE AS WELL AS WITH [INAUDIBLE].
I WOULD AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN FECHT THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY PUT TOGETHER SOME TYPE OF COMMITTEE BETWEEN SOMEONE FROM COUNCIL, THE POLICE CHIEF, MAYBE SOMEONE FROM BILLY'S GROUP OR A CITIZEN AS WELL THAT IS HAVING THE ISSUES RIGHT NOW TO BE ON IT AS WELL.
>> THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO NOTE IS I DON'T THINK WHERE YOU MEASURE FROM IS CONSISTENT.
IF YOU MEASURE AT THE DRIVEWAY AND MY DRIVEWAY IS FOUR MILES LONG, I'M GOING TO GET A DIFFERENT READING THAN IF I GOT A HALF MILE DRIVEWAY.
IF YOU'RE MEASURING AT SOUTH FORK AND YOU'RE STANDING AT THE DRIVEWAY AT HOGUE, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A TOTALLY DIFFERENT READING THAN IF I'M AT BILLY BARON'S DRIVEWAY RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
I THINK THAT IS ALSO SOMETHING.
[02:00:02]
>> I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES THE COMMITTEE WOULD DISCUSS AND THE REPORT BACK TO COUNCIL.
>> EXCUSE ME. BILLY, GO AHEAD.
>>I HAVE A PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL TO YOU-ALL, WHICH IS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT ALLEN ORDINANCE I GAVE YOU, THEY HAVE DECIBEL READINGS IN THERE, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE TWO OTHER STANDARDS THAT HAVE TO BE MET.
ONE IS THAT DOES IT OFFEND THE SENSIBILITIES OF A REASONABLE PERSON OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
THEN THERE'S ALSO WHAT THEY CALL A PLAINLY AUDIBLE STANDARD IN THERE.
MANY CITIES HAVE ORDINANCES BASED ON THOSE AS WELL.
I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW DECIBELS ARE NOT THE ONLY OPTION THERE IS.
>> I THINK THE COMMITTEE WILL GO THROUGH ALL THAT.
MY PERSONAL OPINION IS THAT IF IT'S SUBJECTIVE LIKE THAT, THAT'S GOING TO BE WHAT A REASONABLE PERSON, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MONITOR THAT? IN MY OPINION, I THINK IT HAS TO BE MUCH MORE BLACK AND WHITE, AND THE REASON BEING IS THAT, AGAIN, IF THERE'S MONEY BEHIND IT, AND THEN YOU'RE TRYING TO MITIGATE THIS, IT NEEDS TO BE PRETTY BLACK AND WHITE.
>> WHAT I'M HEARING IS COUNCIL WOULD PREFER A COMMITTEE TO BE FORMED TO LOOK AT THIS.
IF SO, I WOULD TAKE A MOTION ON THAT.
>> I MAKE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT THAT WE FORM A COMMITTEE.
I WOULD ALSO ADD TO THAT THAT THE COMMITTEE MOVE FORTHWITH BECAUSE WE'VE GOT CITIZENS THAT ARE DEALING WITH THIS EVERY WEEK.
COUNCILMAN FECHT HAS VOLUNTEERED TO BE ON THAT.
>> NOW WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO FORM A COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE NOISE ORDINANCE AND ISSUE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT?
>> JUST ONE COMMENT. I WAS LOOKING AT MEASUREMENT TOOLS HERE JUST FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.
THEY GO FROM ABOUT 200-500 OR $600, SO IT'S IN THE BALLPARK.
>> MADAM MAYOR, I DO HAVE A COMMENT.
THE ORDINANCE, THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN, DOES HAVE A LOT OF, I GUESS, STRUCTURE AND CLARITY IN TERMS OF WHAT IS THE EXPECTATION FOR MEETING A NOISE REQUIREMENT IN OUR CITY.
IT DOES CLEARLY SPELL OUT THAT TODAY, OUR LEVELS ARE 75 DB BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 6:00 AND 11:00, 65 DB BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 11:00 AND MIDNIGHT, 55 DB BETWEEN THE HOURS OF MIDNIGHT AND 1:00, AND 45 DB BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 1:00 AND 6:00.
WE ALREADY HAVE A VERY GOOD STRUCTURE THAT I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE AND EVALUATE HOW WE JUST CHANGE THOSE LEVELS.
I ALSO FEEL THAT IT DOES SAY THAT IN THE ABOVE CONTEXT OF THE ORDINANCE THAT THERE WILL BE A FINE.
I THINK THE FINE SHOULD BE MORE CLEARLY STATED.
TO ME, THE STRUCTURE OF THE ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW IS A GOOD STRUCTURE, AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE, HOPEFULLY, A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME FOR THE COMMITTEE TO JUST REDLINE THIS ORDINANCE AND COME UP WITH A PROPOSED CHANGE TO ARRIVE AT A NEW ORDINANCE THAT WOULD MEET THE NEEDS OF THE CITY IN A TIMELY MANNER.
>> FIRST, LET'S SEE WHETHER EVERYBODY VOTES TO FORM A COMMITTEE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF FORMING A COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE NOISE ISSUES, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ANY OPPOSED? IT'S PASSED 5-0.
NOW, TO MAKE THIS GO HOPEFULLY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, WHAT DO YOU-ALL WANT TO COMPRISE THE COMMITTEE? DO YOU WANT A CITIZEN? DO YOU WANT THE POLICE? DO YOU WANT LUKE? DO YOU WANT YOURSELF.
TELL ME, HOW DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS?
>> I RECOMMEND TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE CITIZEN ON IT AND GET CHIEF.
PRICE IF HE'S WILLING TO BE ON IT AND HAS THE TIME.
>> CROSS FUNCTIONAL SHOULD BE, CITIZENS, I THINK, WOULD BE GOOD OR MORE.
>> DO YOU WANT TO SET A SIZE FOR THE COMMITTEE? I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE SO BIG.
>> HOW MANY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL?
>> HOW MANY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL DOES ANYONE PROPOSE?
>> HOW MANY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL IS WHAT AMANDA SAID.
>> IF I DID IT, I'D HAVE LUKE, I'D HAVE POLICE CHIEF, AND ROXANNE.
>> I RECOMMEND BILLY BECAUSE HE KNOWS
[02:05:03]
A LOT OF THE TECHNICAL PART OF IT, SO I'M OFFERING TO PUT BILLY ON THIS.[INAUDIBLE] AS WELL, BUT BILLY KNOWS A LOT OF THE TECHNICAL [INAUDIBLE]
>> WHAT I HAVE IS ONE CITIZEN, AND I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON THAT IN A MINUTE, CHIEF PRICE, ONE COUNCIL MEMBER, AND CITY ADMINISTRATOR OLSON.
MY ONLY COMMENT ON THAT IS, SHOULD WE HAVE A CITIZEN FROM BROOKS FARM AND FROM ANOTHER PART OF PARKER TO PICK UP?
>> I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET ALL THEIR INPUT.
>> I THINK WE'LL END UP GETTING ALL THEIR INPUT.
>> WELL, THAT IS FOUR PEOPLE, WHICH MEANS ANYTIME YOU-ALL VOTE, IT'S AN EQUAL NUMBER.
>> WE'RE NOT VOTING. WE'RE JUST COMING BACK TO COUNCIL WITH KNOWLEDGE AND KATHERINE, OF COURSE.
>> WELL, THE ATTORNEY IS ALWAYS A MEMBER OF ANY AD HOC COMMITTEE OR ANYTHING WE DO LIKE THAT IF AVAILABLE.
CHIEF PRICE, ARE YOU WILLING TO SERVE OR HAVE ONE OF YOUR OFFICERS SERVE?
>> TODD, I HEARD YOU WERE BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL.
>> YEAH, I GUESS I'LL PARTICIPATE AND I'LL PRETTY MUCH GO WITH THE PD AND WHAT EVERYONE WANTS TO DO ON THAT BECAUSE I KNOW WE DID THIS COMMITTEE BEFORE.
>> IF YOU-ALL FEEL LIKE YOU WANT A SECOND CITIZEN, I NOMINATE RICK [INAUDIBLE]
>> I'M SORRY, I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
>> I SAID IF YOU-ALL WANT A SECOND CITIZEN, I WOULD RECOMMEND RICK BECAUSE HE LIVES OVER ON [INAUDIBLE].
I THINK WE OUGHT TO AT LEAST GIVE HIM THE ABILITY TO ADD A FIFTH PERSON, WHICH WOULD BE A SECOND CITIZEN TO IT.
RICK WOULD CERTAINLY BE A GOOD ONE.
I KNOW IT'S A TOPIC THAT'S OF HIGH INTEREST.
I'M JUST GOING TO GO AHEAD AND PUT RICK DOWN.
NOW FOR THE CRITICAL QUESTION, WHEN'S YOUR FIRST MEETING?
>> WHILE YOU'RE HERE IN THE BASE.
>> OVER AT SOUTH FORK, MIDNIGHT, JULY 4TH ITSELF.
>> LUKE, CAN YOU SEND ME EVERYBODY'S EMAILS? I'LL ZIP OUT AN EMAIL.
>> I WILL TRY TO GET THOSE REAL QUICK, YES.
>> AFTER YOU GET BACK FROM YOUR 3:00 A.M. FLIGHT.
>> WE WILL ASK THAT YOU SET UP A MEETING AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE.
[9. DISCUSSION ON FUTURE DEPARTMENTAL REPORT(S)]
DISCUSSION ON FUTURE DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS.WE'VE HAD THE CONVERSATIONS IN THE PAST.
I KNOW THROUGH SEVERAL OF THE WORKSHOPS, EVERYTHING IN THE PAST, ABOUT THE MONTHLY REPORTS, WHAT YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THEM.
IF YOU COULD, JUST GO THROUGH THEM, EMAIL MYSELF WHAT YOUR CONCERNS ARE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE.
IN THOSE REPORTS, WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN PULL THAT INFORMATION FROM THOSE PROGRAMS THAT WE RUN OR SOMEHOW LOOK AT THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS.
I KNOW INTERGOV IS GETTING SWITCHED OVER RIGHT NOW TO THE NEWEST VERSION, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GOING TO DO AS FAR AS REPORTING.
>> INTERGOV COVERS OUR BUILDING PERMITS AND OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT.
THAT'S BEING SWITCHED OVER RIGHT NOW TO THE NEWEST VERSION AS PART OF THAT EVERGREEN CLAUSE IN THE CONTRACT.
WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
IT LOOKS A LOT MORE FUNCTIONAL.
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF REPORTS IT CAN PULL BECAUSE IT HASN'T UPLOADED ALL THE BACK INFORMATION YET.
ONCE WE GET THAT INFORMATION, WE CAN DO THAT.
THEN ENCODE IS THE FINANCIAL SOFTWARE, WE CAN PULL THE INFORMATION THERE. TRYING TO THINK.
IF YOU WANT DIFFERENT REPORTS FROM THE POLICE AND FIRE, WE CAN WORK ON THAT TOO.
JUST LET ME KNOW IF YOU SEE ANYTHING GLARING AND WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ON THAT.
>> THE ONE I HEAR THE MOST COMPLAINTS ABOUT IS CODE ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE IT
[02:10:02]
SHOWS SO MANY CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS AND SO MANY CLOTHES, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW, YOU JUST CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT.>> AT LEAST WITH THE NEW UPDATE WITH THE BUILDING PERMIT SOFTWARE, I DO LIKE THE FUNCTIONALITY OF IT, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S MORE FUNCTIONAL FOR WHAT WE NEED IT FOR.
I HAVEN'T SEEN THE CODE ENFORCEMENT SIDE YET, BUT JUST LOOKING AT WHAT WAS UPLOADED TODAY, IT DOES LOOK A LOT MORE FUNCTIONAL FOR US TO WORK OUT.
>> I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, BUT I DO THINK THAT THE WHOLE REPORTING STRUCTURE, ESPECIALLY THE DEPARTMENT REPORTS, ARE PART OF A BIGGER THING, BUT DEPARTMENT REPORTS THEMSELVES, I THINK WOULD TAKE MORE THAN JUST TRYING TO SEND LUKE, HERE'S SOME SUGGESTIONS BECAUSE WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IS AVAILABLE.
THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS AS WE LOOK AT AND SAY, IF WE KNEW THIS IS AVAILABLE, WE'D LOVE TO SEE IT.
I DO THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL WHEN WE GET TO GOAL SETTING, ET CETERA, IF SOMEONE WANTED TO TAKE THAT ON AND WE HAD ROOM FOR IT, THAT THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD PLACE FOR IT BECAUSE THEN SOMEBODY COULD GO IN, LOOK AT IT, AND COME BACK WITH SUGGESTIONS.
>> GOOD IDEA. ANYTHING ELSE ON DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS? THEN WE WILL MOVE TO UPDATES.
[10. UPDATE(S)]
I THINK, LUKE, THEY'RE ALL YOURS.>> YES. HOLD ON, LET ME PULL THEM UP.
>> 2551, I KNOW THAT'S THE FIRST ONE.
I DO REMEMBER THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
THEY ARE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW WORKING ON THE STORM WATER DRAIN FROM HOGUE DOWN TO MAXWELL CREEK HERE.
GARY ACTUALLY HAD TO LEAVE TO GO SEE WHERE THIS PIPE ENCASEMENT'S AT.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON THAT SECTION OF THE ROADWAY BECAUSE OF THE HEAT.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING SOME NIGHT WORK ON THAT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT ON THAT SO FAR.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF RESIDENTS ASKING ABOUT THE DISH LINES ON DILLEHAY.
WE'VE MET WITH GARY AND I'VE MET WITH TXDOT ON THAT, AND THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE GOING OUT TO SHOOT THOSE ELEVATIONS FROM CULVERT TO CULVERT TO SEE IF A CONTRACTOR MESSED SOMETHING UP, BUT IF THEY DID, THEY'LL COME OUT THERE AND GET THAT CLEANED UP.
AS FAR AS COMP PLAN, THAT WILL BE GOING TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.
THE INITIAL KICKOFF ON THAT WILL BE JULY 11TH, I BELIEVE, AND GO FROM THERE ON THAT.
I DON'T HAVE ANY UPDATES ON TCQ, OTHER THAN IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE A INTERVENER, YOU HAVE UNTIL JULY 11TH, I BELIEVE, TO INTERVENE ON THAT.
POLICE VEHICLES. WE JUST FINALLY GOT THE SECOND F150.
WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THE EXHIBITION.
SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, THE UNITED STATES [INAUDIBLE] SERVICE LOST [INAUDIBLE]
>> ALSO THE NEW CAMERA SYSTEMS ARE GETTING INSTALLED.
THAT'S ALL I GOT FOR POLICE VEHICLES.
ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THOSE TOPICS?
>> YEAH, I HAD A QUESTION. I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT ON FM 2551, IF WE COULD PUT SOMETHING ON THE WEBSITE, THE UPDATE.
LOOKING AT THE WEBSITE, WE'VE GOT THAT CURRENT NEWS WHERE WE CAN PUT A HEADLINE AND THEN READ ON.
IS THAT SOME PLACE WE COULD PUT THAT INFORMATION?
>> WE CAN. THE PROBLEM IS IS THEY'VE CANCELED ALL THE MEETING, SO WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE JUST FOUND THIS OUT TODAY BECAUSE WHILE THEY WERE DOING SOME POTHOLE OUT THERE, THEY FOUND AN ENCASEMENT WITH ONE OF OUR PIPES.
WE'RE NOT EVEN SURE WHERE THAT PIPE GOES.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
ONCE WE GET A DEFINITIVE TIMELINE FROM THEM, WE CAN START PUTTING THAT OUT THERE.
WE JUST DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT WHAT THEIR TIMELINE IS BECAUSE THE TRAILERS OVER HERE ARE ALSO WORKING, I BELIEVE THE WILEY PROJECT TOO.
THAT'S WHY YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME OF THOSE TEXAS PEOPLE THERE, BUT THEY'RE ALSO WORKING THE WILEY PROJECT AND OUT OF THAT OFFICE THERE TOO.
ONCE WE HAVE SOME MORE DEFINITIVE INFORMATION TIMELINE, STUFF LIKE THAT, WE CAN START PUTTING THAT OUT THERE, BUT THIS WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT CAME UP TODAY.
>> MADAM MAYOR, I HAVE ANOTHER UPDATE REQUEST.
I'D LIKE TO TRY TO GET AN UPDATE WITH RESPECT TO THE PROGRESS ON THE ITEMS ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN THAT ARE DESIGNATED FOR COMPLETION DURING THIS YEAR.
ONE OF THOSE WOULD BE THE WATER LINES ON DUBLIN ROAD.
[02:15:01]
ANOTHER ONE WOULD BE JUST A REPORT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY REGARDING THE PATCHES THAT WERE MADE IN TERMS OF THE MAINTENANCE ON DUBLIN ROAD, AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO GET AN UPDATE IN TERMS OF WHEN THE STRIPING IS GOING TO BE COMPLETE TO CLOSE OUT THAT PROJECT.I WOULD LIKE TO MAYBE THIS FOLDS BACK INTO THE DISCUSSION ON FUTURE DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS TO HAVE A REGULAR UPDATE IN TERMS OF THE PROGRESS TO DATE IN TERMS OF ALL THE APPROVED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN ITEMS FOR THIS YEAR.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE NEED TO UPDATE IS AT THE LAST MEETING, WE ASKED FOR INFORMATION REGARDING CHURCH LOANS.
>> [OVERLAPPING] I DID PUT THAT OUT IN MY WEEKLY FOI.
WE'RE STILL GETTING A DEFINITIVE ANSWER.
THE CONTRACTOR IS WORKING WITH, THERE'S ONLY A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO DO THIS GLASS PAVE THAT DO IT RIGHT, SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET A MORE NAIL DOWN QUOTE ON THAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW, GARY AND, I BELIEVE 50 WOULD BE WHAT WE WOULD DO FOR THE GLASS PAVE ON THAT.
>> THAT'S 250 TOTAL, AM I RIGHT?
>> WHAT ACTION DO YOU NEED FROM CITY COUNCIL TO MOVE FORWARD ON THAT?
>> WE'LL JUST HAVE TO BRING AN ACTION ON THAT BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THAT.
I'D HAVE TO GET WITH GRANT, WHERE THOSE FUNDS ARE COMING FROM ON THAT.
PROBABLY BEGINNING IN AUGUST, WE COULD HAVE THAT TO YOU ALL.
I JUST NEED TO SEE WHAT ANDERSON PAVING, ALSO, WHAT THEIR TIMELINE IS.
>> IF WE GO WITH ANDERSON OR WHOEVER THAT CONTRACTOR OR WHATEVER MAY ALSO COME WITH THE MONEY?
>> JUST ANOTHER THING, WE HAVE ALSO NOTIFIED THE HOMEOWNERS ON CHURCH LANE WITH THEIR TREES AND THOSE ISSUES.
I KNOW COURT ENFORCEMENT WENT OUT THERE AND THEY'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THOSE HOMEOWNERS ON THAT.
THAT WAS SOME OF THE ISSUE WE ALSO HAVE.
>> ON SOME OF THE OTHER STUFF THAT LEWIS AND WHATNOT, WITH IF YOU'RE BRINGING SOMEBODY IN, DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO BUNDLE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, OR NO?
>> THE LEWIS LANE ISSUE IS STILL BEING RESOLVED.
THERE'S NEW PEOPLE OVER IN LUCAS NOW.
WE'RE TRYING TO REBUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM AND GO FROM THERE ON THAT.
I KNOW, CITY OF PARKER AND COLLIN COUNTY, WE'RE IN AGREEMENT.
WE'RE JUST HOPING LUCAS CAN COME INTO AGREEMENT WITH US ALSO AT SOME POINT.
>> WE HAVE DONE THE REPAIRS ON OUR PORTION OF LEWIS, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> WE DID OUR REPAIRS ON OUR SECTION OF LEWIS, AND WE HAD A LITTLE BIT LEFTOVER, SO SOME MIGHT HAVE FALLEN OFF THE BACK OF A TRUCK INTO A POTHOLE.
THAT'S NOT IN THE CITY OF PARKER.
I KNOW HE WAS GETTING A LOT OF COMPLAINTS.
>> LOUIS WAS, I BELIEVE, SHUT OFF.
SUSAN, YOU'D KNOW [BACKGROUND] BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO REDO THE CULVERTS.
>> YEAH, THOSE CULVERTS THEY FAILED.
THEY'RE COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT OF THE BOTTOM, AS WHAT WE FOUND OUT YESTERDAY.
>> THE ROAD IS NOW COMING APART, SO THAT WAS THE GOOD END OF THE ROAD.
NOW BOTH ENDS OF THE ROAD ARE BACK.
DRIVE TO SIT AND YOU DON'T WANT TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION.
>> CITY ADMINISTRATOR, LUKE, CAN YOU PLEASE ALSO UPDATE US ON THE WATER LINE PROJECT WITH THE ENGINEER AND LANE STRIPING.
I'VE GOT TO GET WITH GARY ON WHERE THAT CONTRACTORS AT ON THAT.
I KNOW GARY SPOKE TWO MEETINGS AGO, I THINK IT WAS ON THE WATER LINE, BUT WE CAN GIVE A MORE DEFINITIVE TIMELINE OF WHERE [INAUDIBLE] WITH THAT.
>> I THINK SAID IS THAT THEY'RE ON THE SCHEDULE EVEN THOUGH WE WERE APPROVED IT LATE THAT THEY WERE STILL ON THE ORIGINAL SCHEDULE, AND I THINK THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN COMING IN THE END OF AUGUST.
>> THAT WAS THE LAST UPDATE, BUT THAT WAS A WHILE AGO.
BUT I APPRECIATE THE REFRESHER ON THAT. THANK YOU, COUNSEL.
>> WE SEE THEM OUT THERE ON DUBLIN, [LAUGHTER] SO I KNOW THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON IT.
>> WE CAN GET UPDATE ON THAT TO YOU.
>> ANY OTHER UPDATES? MR. KERCHO?
>> YEAH, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE RIGHT PLACE OR NOT.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU'LL LET ME KNOW.
FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM OR ACTION ITEM OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
>> THAT'S FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.
>> WERE NOT THERE. I WANT TO GO BACK TO TCEQ FOR A MINUTE.
SINCE THE CITY'S TAKEN THE OFFICIAL POSITION THAT WE OPPOSE THE MUD, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD IF WE PUT SOMETHING ON THE WEBSITE TO LET THE CITIZENS KNOW THAT IF THEY OPPOSE THE MUD ALSO, THEY NEED TO REGISTER THEIR OPPOSITION WITH TCEQ NO LATER THAN JULY THE 11TH.
[02:20:05]
THAT'S THE DEADLINE. WE NEED MORE CITIZENS TO JOIN IN ON THE OPPOSITION TO THIS.WE NEED A MORE MASSIVE TURNOUT IN OPPOSING THIS.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE THAT IS LISTENING EITHER LIVE IN THIS AUDIENCE OR VIA TELEVISION OR WHATEVER, VIA VIDEO FEED.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP, YOU'VE GOT UNTIL JULY THE 11TH, IF YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW, GO TO THE COMMUNITIES CREEKS.ORG AND WATCH LAURA HERNANDEZ VIDEO.
SHE'LL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO GO TO THE TCEQ WEBSITE AND REGISTER YOUR OPPOSITION.
>> THERE WILL BE A TOWN HALL, WE ARE GOING TO BE SENDING OUT INFORMATION TO OUR RESIDENTS, EXPLAINING SOME TERMS BECAUSE SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT CCN MEANS, FOR EXAMPLE.
WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER THAT. WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER HOW YOU REGISTER WITH TCEQ.
HOW DO YOU GET IN THERE? WE'RE HOPING TO DO THIS MONDAY, I THINK IT IS.
THEN FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT GET THAT AND STILL HAVE QUESTIONS, WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO BE ABLE TO COME UP TO CITY HALL, AND SOMEBODY WILL BE HERE TO ANSWER ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS THAT THEY MAY HAVE, AND WE WANT TO DO THIS ALL BEFORE THE 11TH.
IN PROGRESS, JUST TO SAY THAT.
ANYTHING ELSE ON UPDATES? NEXT, DONATIONS.
[11. ACCEPTANCE OF DONATION(S) FOR POLICE, FIRE, AND CITY STAFF FOR THE RECORD (Each valued at between $0 - $500)]
WE'LL ACCEPTANCE OF DONATIONS FOR THE POLICE FOREIGN CITY STAFF FOR THE RECORD.ANDREW TASE DONATED SHIPLEY DONUTS, VALUED AT EIGHT DOLLARS TO CITY STAFF.
JIM AND CINDY DAUGHERY, DONATED SNACKS VALUED AT $25 TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ONE OF THESE DAYS, I'M GOING TO SAY THIS RIGHT, BURO GIARDI AND MOHAMMAD MASADI DONATED ONE DOZEN NOTHING, BUT CAKE BININIS VALUED AT $28 TO CITY STAFF.
NOW WE'RE TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.
[12. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
[LAUGHTER] FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL THE PEOPLE THAT DID GIVE DONATIONS.I DIDN'T MEAN TO LEAVE THAT OUT.
WE'RE SO BLESSED IN THIS CITY WITH THE PEOPLE THAT JUST DONATE TO US.
>> AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE CORRECT PLACE OR NOT, BUT CORRECT ME.
I KNOW WE GET A NUMBER OF OPEN RECORD REQUESTS.
A LOT OF THOSE OPEN RECORD REQUESTS ARE OBVIOUSLY THINGS OR CITIZENS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WITHIN PARKER.
I THINK COUNSEL, AT LEAST MYSELF, I FIND OUT ABOUT IT MAINLY THROUGH EMAILS OR SOMETHING ELSE OF THAT NATURE.
I WOULD LIKE, HOWEVER, WE CAN GO ABOUT IT THAT ONCE WE GET OPEN RECORD REQUEST, NOT ASKING THE CITY TO DO ANYTHING EXTRA, BUT BASICALLY COPY OR SEND THAT OPEN RECORD REQUEST TO COUNCIL MEMBERS SO WE CAN BE AWARE OF WHAT IS BEING ASKED OF THE CITY IN THAT REGARD.
>> I WOULD SECOND THAT. I THINK THAT'D BE VERY HELPFUL.
>> YEAH, I'VE HEARD QUITE A HANDFUL THAT HAVE SENT REQUESTS UP AND SAID THEY WERE NEVER GIVEN BACK WHAT THEY ASKED.
HOW DO I COMMENT ON THAT WHEN THEY'RE ASKING ME THAT AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY ASKED.
>> I UNDERSTAND. I THINK THAT'S TRUE OF ALL OF US BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT IS SET UP, AND IT WAS SET UP BY THE LEGAL STAFF.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH LEGAL TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHAT WE CAN'T DO.
WE AT ONE TIME, THE STAFF KEPT A SPREADSHEET OF EVERY REQUEST THAT CAME IN AND CITY COUNCIL GOT A COPY OF THE SPREADSHEET ONCE A MONTH.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT.
I THINK THAT STOPPED WHEN ONE OF THE ATTORNEYS CHANGED.
BUT WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ON OPEN RECORDS REQUEST TO MAKE SURE WE HONOR THE WHOLE THING ABOUT IT.
KATHERINE, YOU CAN PROBABLY TALK ABOUT THIS BETTER THAN I CAN.
BECAUSE THE WAY I UNDERSTAND THEY COME IN, THEY COME IN EITHER TO PATTY OR DIRECTLY TO YOU, WHOEVER'S THAT WAS, [LAUGHTER] AND YOU ALL TAKE IT FROM THERE, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> I DON'T THINK THE ATTORNEYS NECESSARILY SEE ALL OF THEM,
[02:25:02]
IF IT'S SOMETHING PERFUNCTORY, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT PATTY OR LUKE COULD SPEAK TO, WHOEVER RECEIVES THEM MAY JUST RESPOND TO THEM.IF IT'S A ROUTINE THING, THEN THE ATTORNEY MAY NEVER SEE IT.
I CAN'T SPEAK TO HOW I KNOW PATTY MAINTAINS REALLY ORGANIZED RECORDS, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES THAT SPECIFICALLY TO THE PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS.
>> THERE'S NO PROHIBITION TO THE CITY COUNCIL KNOWING WHAT OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS ARE COMING IN, THOUGH, CORRECT?
>> THAT'S WHAT I WAS WANTED TO KNOW TOO.
>> RESPONSIVE INFORMATION MAY HAVE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION IN IT, BUT THE REQUEST ITSELF SHOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE.
>> YEAH. MY POINT WAS EXACTLY THAT THE ACTUAL INFORMATION REQUEST THAT CAME IN BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES BACK THAT SAYS, HEY, CAN YOU NARROW YOUR REQUEST OR HEY, HERE'S THE INFORMATION, ETC, WHICH I THINK THAT IF WE'RE INTERESTED IN AS COUNSEL PEOPLE, WE COULD FOLLOW UP ON, OTHERWISE, THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNICATION GOING BACK AND FORTH.
BUT IF WE COULD AT LEAST SEE WHAT THE OPEN RECORD REQUESTS ARE COMING IN FROM THE ORIGINAL REQUEST, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
>> THEN JUST KNOW, WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO RESPOND TO IT? DOES IT MEAN WE GET A COPY OF THE ANSWER IF IT'S ON EVERY SINGLE ONE.
BUT TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT WE'VE RESPONDED AND RESPONDED IN A TIMELY MANNER, LIKE I KNOW IT'S 10 BUSINESS DAYS THAT YOU HAVE TO RESPOND IN SOME MANNER.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME OF THEM THAT WE HAVEN'T RESPONDED TO IN A TIMELY MANNER.
>> INTERESTING. WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN WORK OUT ON THAT.
KEEP IN MIND THAT A LOT OF OUR OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS ARE FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY'RE GOING TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY WANT A FIRE REPORT.
WE DO GET A LOT OF THEM SAYING THAT WE CAN WORK SOMETHING OUT ON THAT.
>> THEY'LL FIT IN MY EMAIL BOX.
>> THEY'LL FIT IN MY EMAIL BOX.
>> ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? I'M NOT HEARING ANY.
[EXECUTIVE SESSION START TO FINISH]
THEN WE WILL RECESS TO CLOSE EXECUTIVE SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AUTHORITY CONTAINED IN GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.074 PERSONNEL TO DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT, EVALUATION, REASSIGNMENT, DUTIES, DISCIPLINE, OR DISMISSAL OF A PUBLIC OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE.GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.0711, CONSULTATION WITH CITY ATTORNEY CONCERNING PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION.
GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.0711, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY RELATED TO PENDING LITIGATION IN CAUSE NUMBER D-1-GN-23-007785.
GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.0712 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY ON A MANNER IN WHICH THE DUTY OF THE ATTORNEY TO THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY UNDER THE TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS, CLEARLY CONFLICTS WITH THIS CHAPTER, OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
WE ARE IN RECESS TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[RECONVENE REGULAR MEETING.]
>> I'M RECONVENING THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PARKER CITY COUNCIL.
COUNSEL, IS THERE ANY APPROPRIATE DELIBERATIONS AND OR ACTION ON ANY OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION SUBJECTS LISTED ABOVE.
>> NO MADAM MAYOR, THERE'S NOT.
>> HEARING NONE, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? THEN WE ARE ADJOURNED.
IT IS 9:48. THANK YOU ALL.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.